Local anger after Port Glasgow named most dismal town

A local businessman has criticised the controversial Carbuncle Awards after Port Glasgow was named Scotland's "most dismal" town.

The Inverclyde town, famed for its shipbuilding past, is the latest recipient of the Plook on the Plinth trophy.

Urban Realm, the architecture journal behind the awards, said it was an area of "squandered potential".

But Kevin Green, from PG25 which is celebrating the town's 250th anniversary, called the award a "poverty safari" and refused to accept it.

The ceremony, with local businessman Kevin Green (left) and Urban Realm editor John Glenday, saw the award put on a bin outside Port Glasgow's town hall

It comes after a 10-year hiatus of the Carbuncles, with Cumbernauld, Glenrothes and Aberdeen among the previous winners.

Port Glasgow's derelict housing estate Clune Park, which previously housed shipbuilders, is being demolished

Urban Realm editor John Glenday presented the award to Mr Green outside Port Glasgow town hall and said he hoped it marked the beginning of change for the area.

But Mr Green refused it, saying: "Port Glasgow's got a long history of punching up, not down. And this strikes me as people punching down."

He said the town had regeneration plans and it was "the wrong time for this award".

"I know you're looking for someone to award it to," he added. "And we have a bin sitting here. I'm quite happy to place it in the bin for you."

Mr Glenday responded: "We both have the same goals. We both want Port Glasgow to do better and be better."

The Carbuncle award, featuring the names of past winners, was put on a bin outside the town hall

The awards have previously been criticised for demonising struggling towns.

But some believe they encourage local councils to improve the area.

Drew McKenzie, the provost of Inverclyde, said it was ironic the "honour" had been handed out "at a time of transformation and celebration for the town" as it marks its 250th year.

He accused the judges of "not doing their homework" and said the picture they painted of Port Glasgow could not be further from the truth.

The provost said: "Port Glasgow is of course, like most areas, not without its challenges but we're working closely with the local community and other partners to continually look at how we can make Port Glasgow an even better place to live, work, visit and do business.

"There is a masterplan for Clune Park and, subject to availability of funding and necessary permissions, what we have is an exciting opportunity to create new housing and make it a desirable place to live once again."

Port Glasgow's Clune Park estate was dubbed "Scotland's Chernobyl"

Urban Realm said Port Glasgow was built from "great bones" but recent investment had been "haphazard and misdirected".

It added the town had "fallen the furthest" of all the nominees.

Mr Glenday said: "Look beyond the grey walls, rubble and boarded-up windows to long vistas and you will see the beauty of the place, still punctuated by the grandeur of the library.

"Unfortunately, the immediate environment fails to do justice to what could and should be a jewel in the Clyde's crown."

He added Clune Park, dubbed "Scotland's Chernobyl", was "solidly built" and "once home to a thriving community"

Port Glasgow is known for its shipbuilding heritage and Ferguson Marine has based its shipbuilding yard there

The Urban Realm editor said: "Issues around population decline and deprivation are real but are best dealt with by working with established assets, not sweeping buildings aside in the hope that the underlying problems will go away."

The journal said Port Glasgow was "dominated" by a retail park and dual carriageway which "dulls the senses while sucking life from the town centre".

It said the town had neglected its waterfront and criticised the decision to demolish Clune Park.

The tenements on the estate were built a century ago as housing for shipyard workers but had lain mostly abandoned for years.

Urban Realm said it hoped the award would encourage change in the town.