For sale for £1: a red telephone kiosk

By [lchurchill]

COUNCILS throughout North Devon and Torridge are being given the chance to buy a red telephone kiosk.

British Telecom wants to close 47 phone boxes in rural areas but says local authorities can retain the kiosks — minus their telephones — at a cost of £1 each. The kiosks can remain with a working telephone if councils pay for the maintenance.

The offer follows consultation by BT during which people said the red telephone kiosk was a traditional and iconic part of the rural landscape.

Cllr Des Brailey, from North Devon Council, said: "BT has made a decision to withdraw facilities, against council advice, and following the cessation of these facilities BT have offered the telephone boxes to the council.

"While wanting to protect its residents, we are not in the business of maintaining empty telephone boxes.

"However, we have asked our colleagues in the parish councils if they would like to take on the responsibility."

Torridge District Council was unaware of BT's option to sponsor and adopt kiosks.

James Morrish, leader of the council, said: "We will now contact the relevant communities affected by the telephone box closures and if they decide the red telephone boxes can be used for some community benefit we will then consider this."

A spokesman for BT said: "We're committed to meeting our obligation to providing a public payphone service, but the demand there once was just isn't there any more — usage has halved in the last two years.

"Where we no longer believe a kiosk is needed then we seek to remove it. This has been the case for a number of years because of the continuing decline in payphone usage, primarily due to the increasing use of mobile phones.

"Of the phone boxes we are consulting over in North Devon and Torridge, more than a third of these payphones make less than one call a month and some haven't made a single call in the past year."

Another three payphones in Torridge and nine kiosks in North Devon, will be removed without consultation because they have another kiosk nearby.

Those being considered for closure, subject to consultation, are:

Adder Lane, Ashford; Tawstock; Lake Village; St Johns Lane, Barnstaple; Guineaford Bridge, Marwood; Fremington; Yelland Road, Fremington; Heanton Hill, Braunton; Knowle, Braunton; Newland, Landkey; Lower Loxhore; East Down; Arlington; Loxhore; Harracott; Marine Parade, Instow; Yelland Road, Fremington; West Yelland; Eastleigh, Bideford; Barton Road, Woolacombe.

Berry Down, Combe Martin; King Street, Combe Martin; Bratton Fleming; Stoke Rivers; Heasley Mill; Stags Head; West Buckland; Filleigh; East Buckland Cross; Parracombe; Warkleigh; Meshaw; Rose Ash.

Romansleigh; Alswear; Bishmill; Weare Giffard; Bucks Cross; Alminstone, Woolsery; Elmscott, Hartland; Woodtown, Bideford; Parkham; Hoopers Water, Buckland Brewer; Fairy Cross, Woodtown; Lee Avenue, Saltrens; Annery Kiln, Weare Giffard; Abbotsham; Richmond Road, Appledore.

Stoney Cross, Bideford; Darracott, Welcombe; Whitstone Station Cross, Bridgerule; Pancrasweek, Bridgerule; Derryl, Bridgerule; Bounds Cross, Pyworthy; Dubbs Virginstowe, Beaworthy.

Chapmans Well, Launceston; Ivyhouse Cross, Ashwater; East Street, Sheepwash; Claw Cross, Woolsery; Woodsdown, Pancrasweek; North Road, Holsworthy; Derriton Road, Pyworthy; Windy Cross, Thornbury; Haytown, Putford; Tetcott; Rose Hill, Shebbear; Caute.

Priestacott, Bradford; Lifton; Townhouse Cottages, Broadwoodwidger; Riddlecombe, Chulmleigh; Ebberley Arms Cross, Roborough; Yarnscombe; Woollaton, Peters Marland; Berry Cross, Langtree; Fore Street, Langtree; Roborough; Hatchmoor Road, Torrington; Huntshaw Cross; St Giles; Frithelstockstone; Monkleigh; Hollocombe, Chulmleigh.