It was also criticised for its “shabby streets”.
The town is located around 10 miles out of Glasgow(Image: Jèrriais janne, CC BY-SA 4.0 )
One thing Scotland is known for is its many beautiful towns and villages. However, not every settlement in the country is universally beloved.
As reported by the Daily Record, the controversial Carbuncle Awards returned for 2025 after a long hiatus. As part of the awards, Port Glasgow was named as the “most dismal” town in Scotland.
The Inverclyde town received the infamous Plook on the Plinth prize, which is given to least appealing destinations in the country. Port Glasgow was singled out for its “grey walls, rubble and boarded-up windows”.
While Port Glasgow took home the Plook on the Plinth award, many other towns across Scotland were nominated for the prize. One of these is Hamilton in South Lanarkshire.
Hamilton is a large town that is home to a population of around 54,000. It is situated approximately 10 miles out of Glasgow and 37 miles from Edinburgh.
Urban Realm stated: “The town centre is a war zone lined by the husks of dead retail.
Urban Realm described the centre of Hamilton as “a war zone lined by the husks of dead retail”(Image: Jim Smillie / Quarry Street Hamilton)
“Shabby streets have been further hit by the loss of UWS to an out of town retail park. The Art Deco Vogue cinema epitomises this decline.”
However, despite being on the shortlist for Scotland’s “most dismal” town, Hamilton has a lot to offer. The historic town features picturesque beauty spots, fun attractions, and tasty eateries.
Although Urban Realm criticised Hamilton’s town centre as a “war zone”, there is lots to see and do. It was described by the journal as being “lined by the husks of dead retail”, but there are plenty of shops dotted about.
Some of the shopping highlights in Hamilton include independent ladies boutique Deja Elite and jewellery and gift shop The 8 Rainbow. There are also major chains in the town, including B&M, Home Bargains, TK Maxx, and Sports Direct.
Meanwhile, there are also lots of popular restaurants and cafés located around Hamilton. These include chic and modern Italian eatery Rocca Ristorante, Asian fusion specialists Salt, Thai restaurant Pad T’aye, and café Ronzio.
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In terms of things to do around Hamilton, you are spoiled for choice. Whether you visit on a sunny day or in pouring rain, you certainly won’t be bored.
Easily one of the standout destinations in Hamilton is the Strathclyde Country Park that sits on its outskirts. Welcoming thousands of visitors every year, the massive park offers outdoor adventure playgrounds, bike hire, and much more.
Elsewhere, another top attraction in the town is the Hamilton Water Palace leisure centre. Here, visitors can enjoy a 25-metre competition pool, a flume, a lazy river, a tyre slide, a pirate ship, and many more interactive water features.
The Hamilton Water Palace is a great place for a swim(Image: Stuart Vance/Hamilton Advisor)
With Hamilton known for its long history—originally known as Cadzow and dating back hundreds of years—there are plenty of historic attractions to check out too. Highlights include the Hamilton Mausoleum, the ruins of Cadzow Castle in Chatelherault Country Park, and Low Parks Museum—the town’s oldest surviving building and a fascinating attraction dedicated to South Lanarkshire’s past.
More information about what you can get up to around Hamilton can be found on VisitScotland. The full list of towns that were nominated for the Plook on the Plinth prize can be found on the Urban Realm website.