End of the line for 900 phone boxes

THERE was a time when you’d see one on almost every street corner.

But as the rise of mobiles continues, it seems the day of the public phone box is over, with almost one in five due to be removed from Scotland’s streets.

BT will get rid of more than 900 payphones in Scotland over the next three years.

According to the company, the usage of phone boxes has fallen by 90 per cent over the last 10 years due to the widespread ownership of mobiles.

The areas that will be hit hardest are Fife, which will lose 97 payphones, Aberdeenshire, 85, Dumfries and Galloway, 75, and the Highlands, 72.

A BT spokesman said: ‘We’re committed to providing a public payphone service but demand just isn’t there any more.

‘With usage declining by more than 90 per cent in the last decade, we’ve continued to review and, where necessary, rationalise our payphone estate to continue to meet customer demand and manage our costs.’

BT had hoped to remove 1,500 payphones, around 30 per cent of Scotland’s total, but following consultations with local planners, the number was decreased to 947.

The firm is offering councils the chance to adopt 111 of the phone boxes earmarked for removal.

The scheme has proved successful in many areas, with people getting creative with retired payphones.

More than 155 have already been taken over by local groups in Scotland who use them for schemes such as mini libraries or art galleries.

Crossmichael in Kirkcudbrightshire is one of the latest villages to take part in the scheme. The village’s kiosk will be transformed into the Wee Book House after BT sold it to the community for £1.

The booth is being prepared for its launch on Friday. Wigtown Book Festival have donated a box of books and £100, with a vilage family offering to pay for the shelves to be installed.

A spokesman for the Wee Book House project said: ‘Lots of people have donated books and lots of businesses have got involved so it’s a really lovely project.

‘We’ll be able to fit about 200 books in the phone box. It will be on a borrow exchange donation basis.

‘I think these telephone boxes are indicative of a thriving community. It’s about bringing people together, having fun and talking to each other.’

The UK’s highest phone box was saved in October last year after campaigners said it was important for emergency calls.

Situated 2,000 feet up at the base of a ski-slope on Cairn Gorm mountain, the phone box was saved by the local community.