Carbuncle award is back in Cumbernauld
THE NEWS that Cumbernauld has been awarded the Carbuncle Award for the second time has been greeted with a firestorm of wildly differing comment – as the rest of Scotland learned just how poorly the town is viewed.
Television images of the most run-down part of Cumbernauld Centre were beamed into millions of homes on Friday – after the town received the now notorious 'Plook on the Plinth' four years after the dubious accolade was handed over by an obscure architectural magazine which has now enjoyed maximum publicity from the competition.
Staff from Glasgow-based Prospect magazine arrived back on the town on Friday morning to face the media and explain why the town had received 28 percent of some 6000 votes – with its nearest rival, Ardrossan receiving a mere 17 per cent in comparison.
The photocall put a somewhat unforgiving focus on the ravaged and as-yet-undeveloped site of Cumbernauld's long awaited Antonine Centre – and the publication's deputy editor Tim Abrahams said that it gave him 'absolutely no pleasure' to hand the award over to Cumbernauld again.
A slight problem which faced him was the fact that no-one had agreed to accept the award – so staff approached an unsuspecting passer-by to do the honours.
This fell to Ravenswood man Kenny Hamilton who may be known to many readers as a regular contributor to the News and Chronicle's letters page on the subject of animal rights.
Mr Hamilton told the News and Chronicle: "I was a bit surprised when I was approached. I agreed to do it because I do think that the town centre is a disgrace and there never seems to be any sign of improvement."
That view was echoed by Mr Abrahams who would seem to have a higher opinion of the town than some might have given him credit for.
"People in Cumbernauld are pretty annoyed and they have every right to be. Cumbernauld is an affluent town," he said.
Quoting statistics from NHS Scotland and Communities Scotland, he said that household income is higher than the national average - and he also stressed that the Royal Bank of Scotland chose Cumbernauld as one of its Top 10 Housing Hotspots this year.
"The district also benefits from a very high percentage of people owning their own properties with the help of a mortgage – people who would no doubt like to see a return on their investment," said Mr Abrahams, who then turned his attention to the centre and launched a stinging attack on Rosemary McKenna MP who he had telephoned before the presentation.
"Mrs McKenna says that there is work going on in the background, but the people we have seen in the town are more interested in what is going on in the foreground and they've had enough of it," he said.
"And Mrs McKenna first said that the reason that Cumbernauld had not improved was because people like us kept calling it a Carbuncle and we scare investors off.
"After we put it to her that we were merely offering people the means to complain about their own places, she relented and said that the award 'hadn't helped'.
"I am not sure how much Rosemary McKenna is helping however," added Mr Abrahams.
It would appear that these comments have caused fury in the town – not least on the part of Mrs McKenna.
UNDERMINING
She told the News and Chronicle that she was angry that Mr Abrahams had mentioned the telephone conversation in his speech and she made it clear that she felt that he had misrepresented her.
"I think everyone is fed up about this. It is undermining peoples' livelihoods here in Cumbernauld," she said.
"If this made one bit of difference, there would maybe some merit in this but I do not think it has done any good in any area," she said.
Mrs McKenna said that she is of the view that the award is not a community-spirited enterprise on the part of Prospect.
"I really feel that its main purpose is to promote this magazine," said Mrs McKenna.
The award also caused shockwaves at North Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Motherwell where top brass dismissed it as a publicity stunt.
David Porch, director of planning and environment at North Lanarkshire Council, said: "The council's opinion of this ridiculous event is unchanged. It is unhelpful, unjustified, negative thinking that does nothing to help anyone.
"Cumbernauld is a thriving, energetic growing community that deserves to be recognised for its housing, schools, transport systems, and excellent employment statistics," he added.
"We are aware of the issues surrounding the town centre building but using one building to denigrate the town centre is not only unfair, it is irresponsible.
"If Cumbernauld is to continue to develop and grow, it needs investment not shallow, obstructive and damaging comment that offers no meaningful solution or constructive comments," added Mr Porch.
"We do not need Prospect magazine to tell us how to develop Cumbernauld. We are continually in the process of doing just that," added Mr Porch.
"We know there are problems with the town centre – and all this is doing is preventing further investment."
ANGRY
That view was NOT shared by angry resident Rita Young from Seafar who made a point of telephoning the News and Chronicle after hearing this statement read out on BBC Scotland.
"When the council said that this was unjustified, I just couldn't believe it. I have lived in Cumbernauld for 14 years and I have never seen any sign of improvement," said Rita.
"They are saying that this is bad publicity for the town – well I think that the town needs some bad publicity. Then we might see something getting done about this," she added.
Condorrat man Bobby Johnston who was involved in the original planning of Cumbernauld said that the Carbuncle Award was an over-simplificated view of what it feels like to live like in Cumbernauld.
He appeared on television to say so, but feels that the point needs to be hammered home at length.
Mr Johnston said: "It really has to be stressed that there is nothing wrong with the town – it is the neglect of the town," he said.
"There is just so much more to Cumbernauld than the town centre and that's something that can't come across in a television report. I would not have appeared on the television if that had not been stressed.
"I do not want to get into party politics but every councillor in North Lanarkshire Council needs to look into this. It is all very well saying 'what can we do?', but something needs to be done," he said.
"What the council needs to do now is take stock of what has happened and have a good look at what is holding the new development up and try and do something about it," said Mr Johnston.
RESOLVED
"Surely our MP, our MSP and our local councillors can band together to get this resolved. If they can't, who can?"
But that viewpoint was tackled by Scottish National Party councillor Betty Gemmell who said that the lack of progress was something that local councillors could not be held responsible for.
"Contrary to statements made in the media Cumbernauld SNP Councillors are in no way responsible for the hold up in the development of the Antonine Centre," said Councillor Gemmell.
"They have consistently asked questions on the subject hoping to push matters forward but to no avail. It is no credit to the Town to receive the Carbuncle Award but the responsibility for this does not in any way lie with the people of Cumbernauld but should be laid at the door of Labour-controlled North Lanarkshire Council, who obviously did not learn any lessons from the first time Cumbernauld was awarded this 'prize'."
When MSP Cathie Craigie was asked what she thought of the Carbuncle being awarded to Cumbernauld twice, she replied: "We are all anxious to see progress on the Town Centre and this sort of bad publicity does not help at all."
By CLARE GRANT
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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