After 25 years, the Carbuncle Award for “the most dismal town” in Scotland has been scrapped. The Carbuncle Awards, run by architecture magazine Urban Realm, were born from King Charles describing a proposed extension of London’s National Gallery as a “monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend” in the 80s.
The trophy aims to bring forth a “shock and awe” approach to spark interest and encourage improvement in communities that need help. John Glenday, Under Realm’s current editor, said: “Scotland is very centralised economically and politically. Smaller towns can fall down the back of the coach. The Carbuncle Awards are a way of bringing these places to attention and the problems that they face.”
The current demolition of Port Glasgow’s Clune Park estate to make room for new affordable housing was part of why the town was awarded the Carbuncle trophy.
However, after significant backlash from this year’s recipient, the Plook on the Plinth trophy has been officially replaced by the new “Heart On Your Sleeve” award, which recognises untapped potential and community spirit.
The new award was received by Social entrepreneur Kevin Green after he refused to accept the initial trophy on behalf of Port Glasgow, claiming that it promotes “poverty tourism” and fails to reflect the town’s “punching up, not punching down” spirit, BBC reports.
Mr Green said: “It’s not the most positive thing when someone comes and says you’re the most dismal town in Scotland. I think where we can agree is on the word ‘potential’. I disagree with the word ‘squandered’. For me potential is just potential.
After Mr Green denounced the award and a discussion, Mr Glenday presented a positive alternative to the trophy, and two weeks later, Mr Green was presented with the Heart On Your Sleeve award on behalf of Port Glasgow, the first official winner of the new award.
Mr Glenday said: “We’re not deaf to critcism. We do apperciate that it’s a very different world that we inhabit now from a decade ago. This is a post-Covid economy now where we do need to pull together.
“What struck us here is the community aspect. It’s a working class community and people are very close-knit and passionate about the town and improving things. I think with this new award we can channel that passion into a force for good.”
Mr Green’s PG25 regeneration project aims to empower hardworking, creative and talented locals to rebuild the town by making use of empty shops and other vacant properties in a way that “brings back footfall” and income can be reinvested in the area.