The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Joy as isolated community reconnects with payphone
BT reinstates ‘only way of getting in touch with outside world’
Atelephone box decommissioned by BT has been reinstated after a community campaign. The red Kilmory phone box sits in the middle of moorside, near Kilchoan, and was taken out of service last year.
It was put back into use this month when the community refused to take “no” for an answer.
Chrissie Maclachlan, a former postmistress in Kilchoan, said she is delighted to see it back.
Mrs Maclachlan said: “It is working now. It takes the phone cards, and we all have one, just in case we need to use it. You can also make a call by reversing the charges.
“I am thankful it is working again. We need it out here at Kilmory as there is no mobile reception.
“I could be out on the field when I see or have an accident and that phone box is the only way of getting in touch with the outside world.
“I am not grudging anyone the use of my home phone, but for tourists and anyone else who gets into difficulties, that phone is very important.”
Pat MacPhail, from Acharacle, said: “The phone box is iconic; people from all over the world come here and take photographs of it.
“Phone boxes are very important in rural areas and people elsewhere can forget that at times.”
G e o f f C a m p b e l l , chairman of West Ardnamurchan Community Council, said: “About a year ago, the telephone was all of a sudden disconnected by BT – but I really don’t want to blame them at all here, because I think there was a problem with a consultation that was meant to have happened.
“The external body that undertook that consultation did not pass the information on to BT, and the phone box was taken out of service.
“After a lot of discussion to have it back in service, we still seemed to be going round in circles. MSP Kate Forbes picked up the baton at the last to take it over the winning line.
“She and her case workers carried out all the final legwork to have the phone box reinstated.”
A spokesman for BT said: “Highland Council did not object to the removal of this payphone so we started the removal process, taking out the phone service initially.
“After discussions with the community and Highland Council, we arranged to restore the payphone.”