Mancunians have had their say after the Hollings Campus, more commonly known as the 'Toast Rack' building, was named as one of the ugliest buildings in the UK.
The 'iconic' 1960s modernist building in Fallowfield ranked ninth in a list of eyesores in a poll, alongside Liverpool's Pier Head ferry terminal, Scottish Parliament, Central Church in Torquay and London's Bafron Tower.
The building was designed by architect Leonard Cecil Howitt and given the nickname because of its distinctive arches that have been part of the south Manchester skyline for decades. It was originally built for the Domestic Trades College before becoming part of Manchester Polytechnic, now Manchester Metropolitan University.
READ MORE: Inside the Toast Rack - the Manchester landmark time forgot
It has been grade II listed since 1998, and has been up for development since being decommissioned by Manchester Metropolitan University in 2013.
But proving beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the M.E.N's readers were up in arms at its ranking on the ugliest buildings list, saying the design was both 'quirky' and 'iconic'.
One person commented: "I think it’s absolutely beautiful!" as another person agreed, writing: "It's iconic and beautiful.."
A third passionate follower defended the Toast Racks' honour and said: "Shocked. I love this building. There’s far worse being built now in the city centre."
Another conceded that while the building is ugly, that was part of its charm, adding: "It’s quirky and ugly but it’s part of the landscape. It’s better than the boring tower blocks that are everywhere now."
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A fifth person was quick to remind others about the integral part a building like the Toast Rack plays in making Manchester's landscape, writing: "Well I’ve seen nicer looking buildings but it’s such landmark part of the Manchester ‘scene’.
"How many conversations have contained ‘it’s near the toast rack’ or ‘go past the toast rack’ etc etc. It’s Manchester - doing things differently - that’s not to say that I wouldn’t like to see some ‘prettier’ architecture in amongst our ‘cold war’ era architecture."
According to a poll on Parrorprint.com, the ten ugliest buildings in the UK are:
1. Birmingham – Centre City Tower
2. Glasgow - Glasgow College Building
3. Northern Ireland – Belfast City Hospital
4. Edinburgh – Scottish Parliament
5. Wales – County Hall, Flintshire
6. London – Balfron Tower
7. Nottingham – Victoria Centre
8. Liverpool – Pier Head ferry terminal
9. Manchester – Toast Rack
10. Devon – Central Church, Torquay
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