Whitchurch Red Telephone Boxes – renovation

UPDATE 2  (5th April 2021) 

The paint kit has turned up, for which BT is to be thanked. 

The work now starts to get a team of volunteers to help. Please be in touch if you wish to help.

Work will also be progressed to see if it can be given any legal protection.

UPDATE 1  (16th December 2020) 

BT have told me that they will be arranging a cleaning of the box and that they will 'consider a repainting' and will be in touch once their 'Regional Field Officer' has had a look.

Hopefully it will be possible to work with BT on the box's future and to at least ensure it is more presentable. More details when available.

Also looking at some 'protection' if possible as it's in the Conservation Area.

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OUR TELEPHONE BOX...

WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT

There used to be a number of the traditional red telephone boxes in Whitchurch but now there remains just one and, although in the Conservation Area, it is in a poor state of repair.

The red telephone box was introduced in 1926 and has since become a cultural icon and a feature of our street scenes in towns and villages across our British Isles. It has even spread further with examples in many other countries – becoming a symbol of Britain in places such as Barbados, Malta, Gibraltar and even in Australia. 

In 1935 the K6 design was introduced to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee with eventually around 65,000 K6 boxes being installed across the country. The boxes are made of cast iron with a teak door and weigh around three quarters of a ton.

The design was by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who was also designer of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, Battersea and Bankside Power Stations, the latter now being the Tate Modern in London.

Fast forward to the 1980's and many were falling foul of vandalism and a lack of maintenance. Many were removed or replaced by a variety of new designs but the love for the traditional red icon remained with only around 3400 remaining in operation according to Historic England. Of these most are now 'Listed' (not the Whitchurch one though – see later).

But many continue to disappear from the landscape.

As their use has declined due much to the advent of the mobile phone, BT have been offering them for adoption and many local councils have taken them on in conjunction with their communities. Around the Whitchurch countryside several are now used as libraries, or for housing defibrillators, and some provide local information. In other places they have been used as art galleries, coffee bars, photo booths, even an ice cream dispenser and one became a pub! 

The Whitchurch box is still a working telephone and is not currently for adoption but its condition still deteriorates by the day. Are there ways to keep in operating and still be looked after?

The sadly lost Berehill box

The Lost Boxes

A few years ago the two red boxes in Whitchurch at Berehill and Queens Road were offered for adoption and there was a small campaign to retain them but there were no takers and they are now sadly gone.

The last remaining box is in Church Street and with BT still keeping it as an operating telephone but it is looking very sorry for itself – it badly needs a full paint and parts of the door are rotting. Whilst no one wants to lose the service of a public telephone, given its deteriorating condition its time must surely be limited unless some remedial work is undertaken.

Can we save our last red telephone box in Whitchurch?

Do we want to lose this?

There are some local people willing to help. Whitchurch Town Council has been already approached for 'support' and BT has been contacted to see what might be possible. There are also plans to see if it can be 'Listed' and thus be given some protection either through the national scheme or through a local listing with the Borough Council. 

Advice has also been sought from and provided from other Charity groups and Parish Councils that have also had similar situations and their help has been much appreciated, especially some wonderfully supportive people in Cornwall!

If there is anyone else willing to get involved, perhaps to help with some ideas in supporting retention of this important part of our town's street scene, then please make contact. 

...and even more? – if so could this be the catalyst needed to start some other community driven projects in our town to help make Whitchurch a more vibrant and attractive location?

PLEASE BE IN TOUCH

John