Red phone kiosk in Whittle-le-Woods to become book swap

Councillor Eric Bell in the red phone box that will be transformed into a mini library at the top of Hillside Crescent, Whittle-le-Woods

The town’s parish council bought the telephone kiosk at the top of Hillside Crescent from telecommunications company BT for £1.

Two others, one in Town Lane and another in Waterhouse Green, were also purchased from the firm previously for a grand total of £2.

Chorley Councillor Eric Bell. who represents Clayton-le-Woods and Whittle-le-Woods, said: “They were going to do away with all of them.

Councillors Eric Bell, Peter and Barbara Higham and Steve Fogarty in the red phone box that will be transformed into a mini library at the top of Hillside Crescent, Whittle-le-Woods

“We have bought them and we’ve already done two of them up. Around two years ago we put new glass in the ones in Town Lane and Waterhouse Green. We painted them, put shelves in and a defibrilator in each as well.

“People put books in there and just go and swap them when they want.

“It’s gone really well.

“We’re going to do the one in Hillside Crescent next.

“Theysupplied us with the paint and spare glass and we do the work on them.

“I just think its sad to lose them. They’ve been here a long while. They were just going to scrap them.

“We’ve had no touble at all, no vandalism. We do have people who just keep a check on them though.”

In the light of the mobile phone industry the use of the iconic red phone boxes have inevitably dropped and telephone kiosks across the UK have been removed.

Since the Adopt a Kiosk programme was launched by BT, more than 4,000 communities across the UK have seized the opportunity to make over their local phone boxes that had little or no usage.

Red phone boxes have been converted into a grocery shop, a wildlife information centre, defibrillator kiosks, art galleries, book exchanges, exhibitions and even a pub.

In October last year BT announced that almost a third of public phone boxes across Lancashire could be axed arguing that they were under used.

Out of the 1,002 payphones in the Red Rose county, 306 were earmarked for removal.

The kiosk in Hillside Crescent was identified as one to be taken away as it had only been used 16 times in the last year.

Now residents who live in the area are looking forward to another mini library.

Posting her support of the initiative on Facebook Pat Culshaw said: “Hope we can keep as many as we can in good order they’re part of British heritage along with red pillar box.”

Lesley Kirkham added: “This should have been done in Adlington with the old telephone boxes.”

Any recognised local authority, parish, community, town council, registered charity or community interest company throughout the UK or Scotland can apply to adopt their local phone box.

Every village that fits a defibrillator in their adopted phone box can receive a free paint kit from the British Coatings Federation to spruce up the box.