Red Telephone Boxes
Nigel Jenkins
BT’s “Adopt a Kiosk” scheme has already resulted in more than 1000 applications from local communities to adopt their local phone box. Parish councils have so far taken ownership of more than 500 kiosks. Last Year BT ran a nationwide competition to find the most innovative use of an adopted red telephone box.
Amongst the many uses boxes have been put to are a “Poetry Box,” where villagers displayed their own and their favourite poems, a weekly Sunday summer morning fruit and veg. exchange for folk to swap produce and a magazine swap box One kiosk will be the meeting point for the Christmas carol singers and the villagers can leave Christmas cards and messages in the festively decorated box. A box has become a book exchange or perhaps the smallest library in the country and another displays a mannequin dressed as a regularly changing seasonal, historical or fictitious character. A kiosk was rented out to the community for a week or more at a time so that locals can entertain, educate and amuse their fellow villagers through their own exhibition. The Gallery on the Green in Settle, North Yorkshire, thought to be the smallest art gallery in the world and drawings, paintings, photographs and other unique works of art are housed in their kiosk. Another red box has become information centre about the local wildlife, flora and fauna. The list is almost endless.
A BT spokesman has said “The most fantastic thing about the Adopt a Kiosk scheme and the competition has been how whole communities across the country have become involved. Red phone boxes have become a focal point in villages for all sorts of imaginative activities of real value to the local community. It’s been extremely satisfying to see that our old rarely used boxes have been given a new lease of life by the scheme."
In Glanton stands one of these much loved but neglected red telephone boxes, apparently one of only four remaining in the county. The parish council has concerns regarding the possible costs associated with adopting the box and a Member residing in the village has suggested the Society might be able to assist in some way. Maybe with a little imagination the box could be used to pay for itself ?
City and County
August 2010
Update on the Red Telephone Box at Glanton
I am pleased to report that our campaign in Glanton to reverse the Parish Council's vote not to adopt the kiosk has been successful, the kiosk is at present under a Building Preservation Notice and an application for Listing. English Heritage advised an approach to our local conservation officer and Northumberland County Council planners saw fit to take on board our concerns. One point that I must correct in your piece is the four kiosks I referred to previously are in the old Alnwick District area west of the A1 and I hope these will be adopted and restored. Our kiosk was regarded as important enough to be restored and resited by BT some fifteen years ago being within a conservation area. I understand there are 12 telephone boxes Listed in Northumberland, 5 of which are K6s & one AA within our north Northumberland area mainly in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
A small group of villagers was formed, proposals and a petition drawn up and we now have the Red Telephone Box team that will act on behalf of the PC to restore and maintain the kiosk, unfortunately without a telephone but it will initially be used as an additional notice board and information centre.
Out of this enthusiasm the Glanton Heritage Group has been formed and one of our first projects is to raise funds and manage the restoration of four directional cast iron signposts in the Parish, an item identified in Glanton Vision our parish plan produced in 2008. If any member is in a position to assist or advise in raising funds I know the Group would be most appreciative.
More information can be found at www.glantononline.net
Yours sincerely,
Richard Verrill
Footer photos by Ian Britton from www.freefoto.com
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