MOST Bradfordians will have memories of the Kirkgate Shopping Centre - or the Arndale Centre as it was known back in the day.

The concrete, brutalist building has been an imposing sight in Bradford city centre since the 1970s but is set to be flattened to make way for the new ‘City Village’ – a development of 1,000 homes in the top of town area – in the coming years.

This week, the Telegraph & Argus brought you the news that the building does not meet the criteria for becoming a listed building.

It was described by Historic England as “lacking architectural flair”. The heritage body said it should be immune from listing, unlike the now Grade II-listed Richard Dunn Sports Centre.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The Westgate entrance The Westgate entrance

The imposing old leisure centre in Odsal is now among the most protected structures in the city – a decision that has created a deadlock over its future.

Here’s what T&A readers had to say about the Kirkgate Shopping Centre…

Steven Conroy: “Thank God for that, it was a disgraceful decision to list the Richard Dunns sports centre which now costs a fortune to keep safe and maintained and will be hard to sell.

“We've lost some beautiful buildings in the past in Bradford but Richard Dunns and the Kirkgate market are not worth saving.”

Christine Grant said: “At last, some common sense from Historic England. Knocking down a beautiful market building and replacing it with this monstrosity was a huge historical mistake that many people would like to forget.”

“We have demolished some beautiful buildings in bfd over the years and we do look at it now with regret but I can't wait to see the back of this monstrosity. Who in the right mind will look back and regret seeing the back of this place," said Andy Holdsworth. 

Janet Slater described it as a “concrete monstrosity”.

Renata Mu said: “Can't imagine anyone wanting to live there in the centre of town. A green central park would make that area more welcoming.”

Leedsclaret&amber commented on the T&A website to say: “If ever any building deserved the saying 'well past its sell-by date' this building is it.

“The quicker the bulldozers get to work the better and take Richard Dunn's with it.

“How those who like brutalist design sing the praises of this monolithic block makes me wonder what the attraction is.”

And By Boz said: “It has never been a popular building, even when it was newly built.

"Most couldn't understand the reason to replace the Victorian market, with its grand and impressive architecture, with a building that has always been considered ugly.”