Birmingham named UK's ugliest city
Thursday, 16 October 2008
In pictures: the country's ugliest buildings
It’s official - Birmingham is the UK’s ugliest city. According to a new survey, it is home to the some of the nation's least-loved buildings.
In a poll carried out in conjunction with the launch of urban planning simulation Sim City Creator, 37 per cent of respondents decided that buildings such as the Birmingham Bullring and Birmingham Central Library made the Midlands city as the ugliest UK city overall.
Not even the city's residents were sympathetic to the building, with 40 per cent of Brummies agreeing that their city was home to the single ugliest building in the country.
Antony Gormley's Newcastle scultpture the Angel of the North was a surprise entry at third position in the poll, while the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh came in at number four. Manchester's Arndale shopping centre came in at number five despite a recent makeover.
Leave your suggestions for the country's ugliest building below.
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Copyright 2008 Independent News and Media Limited
Comments
69 Comments
Spaghetti Junction is a work of art. Ok, it may be ugly, but it's not a building. What a lame list, especially considering you've used the wrong picture for Park Hill Flats (and one from 30+ years ago) and the Arndale in Manchester has had a complete facelift.
Posted by Jim | 22.10.08, 10:45 GMT
Can't really believe anything in this, the main photograph used is from about 30 years ago, it isn't even Park Hill Flats, it's Norfolk Park.
Posted by Sheffield | 22.10.08, 10:06 GMT
The photo that you show titled Park Hill, Sheffield is actually Claywood in Sheffield which is now demolished.
Posted by surg | 21.10.08, 21:51 GMT
unfair- have you been to hull?
Posted by h | 19.10.08, 18:27 GMT
May I nominate a building on the A1085 on the way from Redcar to Middlesbrough, owned, I understand, by Corus (formerly British Steel). Constructed in a ugly shade of brown with tiny windows, it could be mistaken for the secret police headquarters of one of the more unpleasant totalitarian dictatorships.
Posted by Jeff | 19.10.08, 17:56 GMT
I wonder were Telford is on the scale of uglyness. A town center that is nothing but a soulless shopping centre. The feeling of consumer gloom that pervades that horrid place is unbearable. I know people it has brought to actual tears!
Posted by Grough Les | 19.10.08, 12:20 GMT
Like any city there's parts of Brum that leave a lot to be desired. Wolverhampton is the centre of gravity for ugliness over that way in my experience. Being a industrial city historically, your not gonna find or make Brum a work of art. I've lived in Brum and now live somewhere at the other extreme, a historic cathedral 'town'. Ancient ruins and historic buildings scattered every where. However, in the end it comes down to people. The smaller the place the more small minded the people; the neater the place the more intolerant people are. If I could afford to move back to Brum tommorow I would.
Posted by kevin | 19.10.08, 09:21 GMT
WHAT ABOUT IPSWICH.....
Posted by steve | 19.10.08, 02:52 GMT
Birmingham has seen and continues to see radical changes being made. The final nails are being swiftly hammered into the coffins of many of its worst buildings. The Central Library is on the cards for demolition, although campaigns for its listing are proving to be a bit more of a barrier than initially thought. New Street Station is due for a major redevelopment - designs for which were released only last month and the funding has already been allocated. The Bullring is on the whole a great place, although there are some parts of which are very uninspiring - unlike Selfridges which is the third most photographed building in the country! I can think of much worse shopping centres! Digbeth Coach Station has already closed down and redevelopment work is underway.
The buildings that were symbolic of Birmingham's reputation as being a concrete jungle are finally becoming dust.
Posted by Tom | 18.10.08, 21:42 GMT
QUOTE: "Birmingham centre looks amazing these days whether during the day and evening. I used to go to university there but have since moved away. Everytime I return though I think how great the city looks. I guess 'a poll' can give any sort of result." UNQUOTE
As a regular visitor to Birmingam since 1979 the above is the same sort of self delusion I always hear. Normally, out of politeness, I just ignore it. But until the city accepts that many of the buildings are dire, there's no proper centre and it is murder for strangers to find their way around - there isn't going to be any significant improvement. Just because the people are friendly doesn't mean it is not the UK's ugliest city - time for some radical changes!
Posted by AdamR | 18.10.08, 19:26 GMT
69 Comments