The Centre Cumbernauld — Local services in Great Britain

Is the voted as ugliest building in the UK really so ugly? Well, first I would say that I am open minded, and I would add to that that I do not dislike brutalism. However, the experience of visiting the shopping centre was quite sad: from the car park up to the inner centre, it gave a pretty poor impression. I'd say that it needs a good amount of maintenance (ceilings leaking, or damaged panels, humidity stains, cracked paint). Not that I found it empty, but both times I have visited there were only a few people, and few businesses had some clients. Besides, too many units are unoccupied or have been shut not long ago. I found difficult to get a good sense of where to go once I was inside: loads of small ramps and stairs leading to slightly different levels, and so many corridors (some were even a dead end) gave me a sort of labyrinthic impression. A nightmare, for sure, to find your exit, especially if there is an emergency. On the other hand, I found the place awkwardly attractive. You can definitely count me among the people who like the external shape with the famous long extension supported by a single column. I think that, after all, it has got some charm. I coukd see quite a lot of usual clients who know well how to navigate inside. I am sure that the centre makes their life easier, or they would not come often. It seems to have a good net of public transport, too. However, I wonder how easy it is to walk to get here: I tried to walk from this to other nearby buildings, but I cannot say it was...

Lots of variety

Google is asking if it's changed... So here's my review update on 2/8/23

Most towns have shops open late. Ours is half 5 and earlier on Sundays.

The post office is a disgrace never open and when it is sometimes their very rude.

Our home bargains has a limited selection now more so because there's a bigger one at the retail park which is hard to get to when you don't drive.

This centre itself is a charity shop haven rather than retailers.

We do love the fresh fruit and veg shop. New looks debatable but staff are lovely.

Butchers used to be great but he heavily inflated his prices during the pandemic and obviously they never came back down.

Some food places which are decent and the ones open later have never opened again late again since the pandemic.

The building itself is clean, toilets are maintained and hygienic. Any time we have spoken to the guards etc they have always been lovely and very helpful.

I do think it seriously needs though rebuilt and accommodating to us...

I really swithered about this rating. The Centre is set for demolition, a Brutalist monument to bad design decisions. However, I use the wonderfully staffed Wetherspoons (it's closing at Christmas and will be no more FYI) on a weekly basis and it contains some charities (like the wonderful Cumbernauld Community Hub and the Foodbank) that I really support. It's worth visiting to see some amazing liminal spaces but lots of the useful stuff is now across the road in the Antionine Centre. Having said all of that tihs is part of our built heritage. Come here and take some photos. Visit the pub and the wonderful charities that work out of it. Marvel at the Brutalist design. Wonder at how the local council (whose Council Tax I pay and feel abel to comment) probably will flatten and not replace a lot of what these buildings dreamed to be. The Centre is a thing. It's not a brilliant thing, but it used to be and...