BT divides town

THE new BT phone book has again split Oban, with half the town not listed in the new telephone directory.

BT’S phone book is dividing Oban in half, something that is causing frustration for neighbours who live a street apart ... and yet do not share the same directory.

With calls to directory inquiries or any of the other phone number information services costing up to £ 5 connection fee plus the cost of the call, the phone book is more important than ever, says Oban Times reader Kathryn Fenemore Spence, from Oban.

Ms Fenemore Spence said: ‘I am hoping The Oban Times can take up the cause and get this sorted once and for all.

‘BT has done it again – it has split Oban in half.

‘If your postcode is PA34 4, you are in the Lomond and Argyll phone book. If your postcode is PA34 5, you are in the Highlands and Islands phone book.

‘Yet BT only seems to be distributing the Lomond and Argyll phone book. This must have an impact on the businesses in town when people can’t find them because they are at the north end. The split doesn’t make sense anyway because Connel and Taynuilt are in the Lomond and Argyll phone book and yet half of Oban isn’t.’

Nicky Murphy, advertising director of The Oban Times, said: ‘This problem has been flagged up to us for a number of years.

‘We responded to the community with directories for each of the areas.

‘Like the phone book, these are given away annually for free in The Oban Times, Lochaber News, Campbeltown Courier, Argyllshire Advertiser and the Arran Banner.’