Port Glasgow rejects dismal-town trophy as Carbuncle Awards pivot to a hopeful nod

Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, is making waves not for a new development, but for how it responded to the Carbuncle Awards, the biennial acknowledgment of Scotland’s least-loved architecture and urban spaces. In a surprising twist this year, the town refused to accept the Plook on the Plinth trophy after being named the most dismal place in Scotland, prompting organizers to rethink the prize.

Kevin Green, who runs Port Glasgow 2025, a regeneration initiative, publicly pushed back on the award’s framing. He told the BBC the accolade reflected poorly on the town and its people, saying, “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.” Green and his group contended that the recognition dredged up “poverty tourism” rather than highlighting progress.

In response to the confrontation, Urban Realm magazine, which runs the Carbuncle Awards, elected not to press the town to accept the original trophy. Instead, they devised an alternative design that the community could embrace. The new trophy, described by organizers as the Heart on the Sleeve, features a bright red heart and was presented as a more constructive symbol of the town’s ongoing efforts to redevelop its waterfront and town center. Port Glasgow representatives accepted the redesigned award, signaling a shift from a negative framing to a celebration of local resilience.

This year marked the Carbuncles’ return after a ten-year hiatus, during which past winners famously included Aberdeen, New Cumnock in Ayrshire, and Glenrothes in Fife. Organizers stressed that, even when born from a critique, the tradition has aimed to catalyze positive change. John Glenday, editor of Urban Realm, explained that the “story of the Plook on the Plinth has always been positive,” adding that the new Heart on the Sleeve trophy was created to “celebrate the community, while calling out squandered potential.” He noted that productive conversations with Port Glasgow helped shape the revised approach.

The town’s 250th anniversary year and its recent history with waterfront development also framed the debate. Local discussions highlighted the demolition of the Clune Park School and Church on the Clune Park estate as emblematic of lost opportunities, while critics argued that the built environment had, at times, failed to reflect the town’s ambitions. Organizers and Port Glasgow officials alike sought to move beyond mere labeling, aiming instead to draw attention to positive momentum and the capacity for improvement.

Port Glasgow had previously been portrayed as a town with “squandered potential” by the Carbuncle Awards, a label the community rejected as a blanket judgment. By pivoting to a trophy that emphasizes heart and civic pride, supporters hope to recast the town’s image while continuing to advocate for better urban design and investment. A PG25 statement posted on social media described the decision as the “wrong award at the wrong time,” while also suggesting that no other town would receive the dismal designation this year, underscoring a desire to avoid further negative attention while still engaging in the conversation about improvement.

In the end, organizers said the collaboration with Port Glasgow reflected a shared aim: to spur constructive dialogue about how to renew places that have suffered from economic and social challenges. Whether starting from a negative premise or a positive one, the goal remains the same—toward a better Port Glasgow and a Clyde-side future that honors its history while expanding opportunity. As Glenday stated, the Heart on the Sleeve award represents a symbolic step in that ongoing journey, one that recognizes both the town’s potential and its need to address the factors that have limited it in the past.