Carbuncle awards scrapped by organisers

The award organisers say they feel it is no longer appropriate to single out struggling communities at a time of continuing austerity and economic uncertainty. They will instead launch a more compassionate contest where towns are offered assistance rather than being publicly shamed.

Cumbernauld’s dubious accolades came in 2001 and 2005.

Judges compared the town to Kabul and described its shopping centre as a “rabbit warren on stilts”.

John Glenday edits Urban Realm, the architecture journal which organised the awards. He said: “We feel the time is right to relaunch and rebrand.

“The idea is to re-energise things and make it more relevant.

“We want to make it more positive, more of a tool to kick start regeneration.”

However, Mr Glenday insisted the Carbuncles have been a force for good by pressuring councils to improve their towns. He added: “In New Cumnock, for example, there have been some remarkable changes since it was named Scotland’s most dismal town in 2013.

“The town hall which was derelict has been renovated and the lido, one of the last in Scotland, was reopened by Prince Charles just the other month. “Most people had never heard of it, or its plight, until the Carbuncles brought it to national attention.”