For 600 years, the tallest building in Exeter was the mediaeval Cathedral. Dominating the sky line, this Gothic masterpiece, with its tower of honey coloured stone, its flying buttresses and gargoyles reaches heavenwards in praise of God.

Then there was Debenhams.

Not to be outdone by spiritual contemplation of Eternity and Mortality, Debenhams reaches skyward in praise of cash, fashion items and cookware and dwarfs its glorious neighbour. This is a building of no merit whatever. It is large and angular, with muddy blue panelling. And it is big; grotesquely big.

At the top, it has a cafeteria which Debenhams have tactlessly named Cathedral View Café, as if to blow an enormous raspberry at the building’s many detractors. From here you look down on the jewel of Exeter.

The Debenhams Building has been a hate symbol for the people of Exeter pretty much since it was built. For decades now, the City Council have been suggesting they would consider demolishing it and to replacing it with something a little less in ya face. However, the Council is now suggesting refurbishment on the grounds of "sustainability". How you can refurbish something that was never furbished in the first place is frankly a mystery.

This is a sister column to Must See Buildings of Britain. Beastly Buildings is dedicated to Architects and Planners everywhere who put up the tasteless edifices The Rest of Us have to put up with.

If you know a building which has elbowed its way onto the Nation’s hate list, email the editor, charlotte@donowdo.com