Darvel removed from dismal town list

Dec 19 2008 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

OUTRAGED residents of Darvel protested so strongly after the town was nominated for the dreaded Plook on the Plinth award that organisers relented and removed it from the running.

The judges from Architecture Scotland’s Prospect Magazine annually name and shame a number of communities on their website at www.thecarbuncles.co.uk for being blighted by neglect and civic complacency.

Darvel was nominated for the Plook on the Plinth award for Most Dismal Town 2009 by one of the magazine’s staff.

But on Friday a spokesman for Prospect Magazine confirmed that Max Flemmich, chairman of Darvel Community Council, had put up a great case for the lace town and that it was now very unlikely to be shortlisted for the Carbuncle award.

Max and fellow Darvel resident John Oliver have posted their protests on the website www.s1darvel.com and have even uploaded a video showing some of the town’s beauty spots.

Irvine Valley neighbour Newmilns is still in the running – along with Kilmarnock, Cardenden, Motherwell, Nitshill and others.

The spokesman said: “Max put up a very spirited defence and it’s pretty unlikely Darvel will make the final shortlist.

“We’re still in the nominations stage and staff from Prospect and members of the public can nominate any town.

“We are not having a laugh at the expense of frustrated residents, but trying to provoke a debate about how we move forward. This is not about slagging places off.

“There is a positive aspect to the awards and that is recognising how places can be improved and coming up with solutions.”

After the December 31 deadline, a panel will choose six towns for the shortlist. They will then visit each town before picking a ‘winner’ to be crowned Plook on the Plinth 2009 in February.

But by the time Darvel was ruled out as a potential winner, the damage was already done according to Max Flemmich.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned the damage is already done. A lot of work has gone into the town through the Darvel Improvement Group (DIG) over the years and this kind of negative publicity doesn’t do us any good.

“We’re a small town that’s lost its lace industry and gets by with whatever small grants we can scrounge.

“We’ve done very well I think and we can really do without being nominated for this award.”