You are correct, Brutalism - even the examples which were well designed for pedestrians - is very unpopular in the UK, and places like Croydon and Swindon that still have a lot of exposed concrete are reviled.
Most people even dislike the Brutalist buildings along London's South Bank, even though some of them are considered good examples of the style, and they are well-used because of their central location and excellent accessibility.
Having said that, there is a counter-culture which celebrates brutalism, from a mixture of industrial chic, irony and nostalgia. A Guardian travel guide to 'Secret Britain' lists this car park in Swindon as one of several 'memorials to a lost age of optimism and opportunity'.
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