THE revitalised Chester market has been hailed as a 'vibrant facility' and a 'real asset for the city' while the Bars underpass has been branded 'an unpleasant and intimidating space' in Chester Civic Trust's annual Good, Bad and Ugly awards.

Now in its 14th year, the awards highlight Chester’s buildings, places, spaces and projects in an alternative New Year Honours list.

They are based on nominations from civic trust members and aim to recognise the best changes to the city scene over the past year and encourage higher standards of design and maintenance.

Chester market scooped the top prize for 2020 – which is Chester Civic Trust's Diamond Jubilee year – by winning the Chairman's Special Award, with both traders and council chiefs receiving praise for turning its fortunes around.

The civic trust's judging panel stated: "The judges were unanimous in their praise for the combined efforts of the traders and the council in turning the market back in to a vibrant facility that is a credit to all those involved and a real asset for the city.

"There was particular praise for the Friday night openings. This is an excellent example of what can be achieved in an unpromising space. We hope that the council will ensure that this reinvigoration is transferred to the new market hall when it is constructed."

The trust's two Good awards went to the new, state-of-the-art Deewater Grange care home in Huntington and Hotel Indigo on Grosvenor Park Road, while George Street Pocket Park and the newly-built St Mary’s Handbridge were commended by the panel.

The panel said: "The judges were impressed with the extent to which care had been taken with the design (of Deewater Grange) which has resulted in a building that fits superbly in its environment.

"It would have been easy to build something functional without reference to the street scene and the developers deserve credit for avoiding that all too common approach.

"The second Good award goes to Hotel Indigo. The judges praised both the exterior and interior design noting that the exterior design provides a nod to the John Douglas houses opposite but with a thoroughly modern interpretation.

"The interior is tremendously individual and it’s well worth a visit for a drink or something to eat."

The Bad and Ugly 'winners' in this year's awards were the Rows, whose maintenance and cleanliness is a 'perennial concern' according to the panel, and the Bars underpass which was described as 'an unpleasant and intimidating space'.

Also announced in this section was the decaying former Hydro-electric station by the Old Dee Bridge, 'unattractive' Boughton shop fronts between City Road and Steam Mill Street, and the 'unappealing' Hunter Street student flats.