Around Hereford and Worcester

Tell us whether you think these buildings are modern masterpieces or regretable mistakes? Nominate your choices - send photos to [email protected]

cristina gardiner
Beautiful, I really love it!

Penny
Imagine you have arrived in Worcester for the first time at Shrub Hill Station. All you can see is that monstrosity, the Elgar Tower. What a magnificent first impression! It blocks the view of the historic skyline that Worceter does have to offer. Its existence was always controversial - please demolish it! It never did blend in with any of the existing buildings around it and some say it has only been spared because of all the communications equipment on the roof! The original lower-rise block at Worcester Tech did exactly what the architects said originally - weathered to become more in keeping with the site. It's in a wonderful position for the generations of students who have used it (myself included) - always something to see on the river if the lecture isn't up to scratch!

R Witherick
I worked in the Coop offices which preceeded the building of the old coop building in your picture.Even these look an improvement on those built for when the old Worcester Cooperstive was founded in latter half of 19th century.I was there 1953-58

R Witherick
No comment on quality.Thanks for reminders of HOME

Rob
You think you have ugly buildings in Worcester? Take a look at Crown House in Kidderminster. There are plenty of photos online. Enjoy!

Ian Murray
I rather like the look of the St.John's tower blocks and the Tech. college building - interesting orange/brown colour. But can we get rid of the Elgar Tower which has always made an ugly area even worse, and as for Lytchgate precinct, it's not good enough to be called Cathedral anything, and it's building, caused the destruction of the last cathedral lytch gate in the country which should have been a criminal offense for the planners of the day.

Daniel Eastman
It is a modern masterpiece! If built today it would hailed as one i am sure !All it needs is a little bit of love !

Kaleem
I think all these building`s can be made pretty The high rise flats, The Worcester college of technology, The cathedral plaza and even The Elgar tower. However The old Co-op building, well not even Piccaso or Divichi could make this pretty and it should be knoked down.

Lydia Robinson
I love the worcester college of technology, it has a subtle patina and low, linear form which hovers above the banks of the river. The buildings facing the cathedral across the roundabout are dismal- this should provide an elegant entrance to the high street instead it is crude and out of scale.

Richard Rose
I think they are all hedious but the one that really gets to me is Cathedral Plaza, considering what they knocked down in its place which was the lovely lich gate and lich street, it absalutely disgusts me. Although worcester still has a lot of historic buildings, if none of them had been touched Worcester have been very much like York or Chester, and I think for that it is a great tragedy.

Max Sinclair
Elgar Tower is the most disastrous building in Worcester and an insult to the Composer.It used to be a marvellous experience to walk out of Shrub Hill Staion and see the panoramic view over the City roof tops and surrounding countryside. Sadly none of Kays modern buildings have contributed to the Worcester scene.The Civic Societies opposition to the building at the planning stage was ignored.

Keith Williams
Why do so many people knock the College of Technology? I was an engineering apprentice in the early sixties (in the days that Worcester was a centre of excellence for engineering) and did day-release and night classes over a 5 year period in order to study for an HNC in mechaincal engineering. The facilities offered by the then technical college were abysmal with various buildings spread out all over Worcester. Then, one day in 1965, the first phase of the new technical college opened and it was absolutely marvellous compared with the facilities previously on offer. Classrooms in the new building were warm, light and spacious and the workshops and laboratories were well equipped.I believe that those who ctiticise the building would not do so were they fully aware of the third rate facilities that existed before it was built. I also believe that after 40 years or so the exterior fabric of the building has weathered in quite well - as it was designed to do so. Also I understand that when the building was originally designed and built, the foundations and structure was such that an additional storey could be added. If this was the case then perhaps a pitch roof could be added to improve its appearance and funded by all those who criticise it.

S.Greenhow
The co-op building , this one is not a horror story , it has a certain retro appeal .

Sian Griffiths
The Cathedral Plaza car park gets my vote as the worst. It is an excellent example of how older postwar 'modern' architects often took no account of the features and spaces around a site, prioritising function over form. It is completely at odds with the adjacent timber framed buildings and has been retro-fitted into an inappropriate and tight spot in one of Worcester's finest shopping streets, drawing attention away from the fine grain of the street scene. It also encourages car use, is unwelcoming for pedestrians inside and out and isn't well ventilated. I think it should be demolished!

George Moir
Worcester's worst building has to be Cathedral Plaza and the former Gifford Hotel which overlook the cathedral. How was this ever allowed to be built there? Criminal!!

Claire Rowlands
I think all the buildings you have in this gallery are an abomination, but the one I think is the worst is Elgar House, mainly because it is so prominant.

Rory McMahon
Im from worcester and barring the racecourse and the cathedral, the entire place is a regrettable mistake!

Tony Jennings
Cathedral Plaza car park is a 'carbuncle' on Friar Street.

Arthur Miller
I have long held the Worcester Tech building an indisputable eyesore. Totally out of sympathy with the buildings surrounding. Equally true for the other buildings cited. City planners need more powers of control about what developers can do on a site that has high impact value.

Jonathan Atter
This building just looks worse and worse with every minute! It really must be demolished, its appauling!

Anon of Worcester
What about the Evening News Building in Hylton Road? Just a concrete monstrosity!

Ron Morris
In my opinion, the Worcester College of Technology is the ugliest building in Worcester. It looks cheap and nasty, it is a typical 1960 utility building and embarrases Worcester.

Arthur Jorge
These are all bad examples of the Rape of Worcester with the Cathedral Plaza building standing where Elgar's father's music shop once stood - what a real shame! The worst building in Worcester though is surely the Worcester News offices on Hylton Road!

Barbara Chapman
The Elgar Tower. We have had Americans staying with us this weekend and they cannot understand how this building could have got planning consent.

Jack Bayes
In times past, when you arrived at Shrub Hill, you could walk out of the Station and get a wonderful panorama of the City. Then they built a monstrous tower block blocking the view and had the cheek to name it after our greatest son. Elgar would have loathed it. My vote for worst.

Tim Myers
For me,without question, the old coop building in the city centre is the ugliest building in Worcester(shire). What makes it worse is it's prominent position in the centre. What vistors must think I cant imagine.

miss D Hopkins...childswickham
wow...awful buildings i'm so glad the days of these types of buildings are behind us.Drab or what...we can do much better..in certain places in Worcester u need brighter buildings.With bright kites on or buckets+spades..seaside scenes...u could get people to bid for the right to brighten up a building..as part of Children in Need...i would do a kind of mosiac of a huge ice creamdripping or a good pic of Madalaine Mccann.Bright flags would be good..anything but not these buildings.