We asked this question on our Lancaster Guardian and Morecambe Visitor Facebook pages and the response was huge.
Although our district has many buildings it can be immensely proud of – the Ashton Memorial, Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Priory, Morecambe Winter Gardens and the Midland Hotel to name but a few – there are still some eyesores that continue to attract criticism.
Here we look at nine of your grottiest landmarks, some of which have blotted the landscape for many years, others which get uglier by the month and a few that may be set to become a whole lot better looking in 2024.
1. 'Pigeon Alley', Marine Road Central, Morecambe
This alleyway off Marine Road Central between the Army Surplus Store and Bay Rugs has been an eyesore for decades. It's often referred to by locals as 'Pigeon Alley' because of the propensity for pigeons to use it as a toilet. Strewn with graffiti and open to the elements, it's a grot spot that we would all like to see cleaned up. With plans revealed late last year for a new indoor laser tag attraction at the site, our hopes could be realised in the not too distant future. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
2. Farmhouse Tavern, Morecambe Road, Lancaster
The Grade II listed farmhouse was formerly a small manor house dating from the 1700s. It opened as a pub in 1990 and has been known as the Farmhouse Tavern and the Scale Hall Tavern. It closed in around 2014 and was destroyed in a fire in 2020. Since then, it's been left to rot but plans to convert it into 14 new homes - which have been submitted to the city council - could finally put paid to this eyesore. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
3. Bowling Green, Scotforth Road, Lancaster
The Bowling Green is one of two historic inns in Scotforth, the other being the Boot and Shoe. Earliest records of the Bowling Green are from 1815. After such a long run as a pub, it's sad to see it in such a state of disrepair today. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
4. Megazone, Marine Road West, Morecambe
The Megazone, an indoor game venue where players attempted to score points by shooting targets with a 'gun' which fired infrared beams, opened in 1993. Prior to that, the building was home to the Tussauds waxwork museum. The laser game centre caught fire at around 6.20pm on June 12, 2014. People were evacuated from nearby flats and businesses as the blaze swept through the building, sending clouds of smoke billowing for miles around on a hot summer’s evening. Owner Richard Holmes and his family were on holiday at the time and he said he was “devastated” when he heard the news. There were no injuries but the damage to the building was so severe the 21 year-old business had to close and the Megazone had to be partly demolished. It remains a burned-out shell on the promenade. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard