Ahead of the iconic red phone box turning 100 years of age, BT has revealed that more than 160 of its kiosks are currently up for grabs across Scotland.
Architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed the first incarnation of the famous red phone box for a competition in 1924.
In recent years, however, with 98% of the adult population now using a mobile phone, and significant improvements to mobile coverage, there has been a huge decline in the usage of payphones across the UK.
There are now around 2,200 remaining working payphones across Scotland, around 470 of which are in traditional red kiosks.
Across the UK, around 20,000 working payphones remain in operation. The number of phone boxes across the UK peaked in the 1990s at around 100,000.
BT is now urging communities across Scotland to continue to take advantage of its kiosk adoption scheme to help transform its underused red phone boxes into other purposes.
Since BT introduced its Adopt a Kiosk programme in 2008, around 550 phone boxes have been taken on by communities across Scotland for just £1 each.
Across the UK, more than 7,200 have been adopted so far. The kiosks can be adopted by registered charities, community councils and local authorities.
Redundant phone boxes have been adopted and turned into a range of facilities over the years, from defibrillator units and libraries, to mini art galleries and local museums.
BT is continuing to review its remaining estate of payphones, removing those that are no longer being used, in line with rules set out by Ofcom. Ofcom revised its guidance last year on payphone removals, reflecting improvements made in mobile coverage and the number of calls made from individual payphones each year.
Michael Smy, Head of Street at BT, said: “With the vast majority of people now using mobile phones, and significant improvements to mobile coverage across the UK, we’ve continued to see a big drop in the number of calls made from payphones.
“That’s why we’re continuing to review our payphones estate, making sure we’re prioritising the removal of those not being used, in line with Ofcom’s latest guidance.
“With the iconic red kiosk about to turn 100, it’s a great opportunity to remind communities that would still like to retain their local kiosk to take it on for just £1 through our Adopt a Kiosk scheme. We’ve already seen some great kiosk conversions across the UK that have become valuable community assets.”
The 201 Telephone Box Gallery near St Andrews (top)
Fife-based artist Lada Wilson came across a redundant red phone box in the village of Strathkinness near St Andrews and hatched a plan to turn it into a mini art gallery.
With the support of the local Strathkinness Community Trust, the phone box was taken on by the community for £1 through the Adopt a Kiosk scheme and turned into the 201 Telephone Box Gallery.
Since opening in 2018, there have been more than 25 exhibitions in the mini art space which showcases community-based, contemporary art by local, national and international artists.
Lada Wilson, artist-curator and founder of the 201 Telephone Box Gallery, said: “It’s been great to take this historic and underused, iconic red kiosk and turn it into a community asset.
“The gallery turned five years old earlier this year and as an artist-curator, I’m really proud of the role it’s played in bringing contemporary art to the village.”
Lada said that the aim of the project was about giving back to the community. She says that the 201 Gallery has helped inspire other kiosk galleries across the UK.
Lada added: “I’ve been really pleased with the level of support it gets and I’ve had people coming to me from across the country asking how I did it.
“Thanks to BT’s Adopt a Kiosk scheme, we were able to make it happen in the first place, so I’d encourage any other communities interested in doing something similar with the redundant phone boxes in their areas to go for it.”
Red kiosks currently available to adopt in Scottish council areas:
| Scottish Borders | 32 |
| Highland | 31 |
| City of Edinburgh | 24 |
| Argyll and Bute | 17 |
| Shetland | 11 |
| Fife | 7 |
| Angus | 6 |
| Aberdeenshire | 5 |
| Orkney | 4 |
| Clackmannanshire | 4 |
| Na h-Eileanan an Iar | 3 |
| Perth and Kinross | 3 |
| South Lanarkshire | 3 |
| Dundee City | 2 |
| Moray | 2 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 2 |
| Glasgow City | 1 |
| North Lanarkshire | 1 |
| Midlothian | 1 |
| Stirling | 1 |
| East Ayrshire | 1 |
| South Ayrshire | 1 |
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