A phone box described as a “iconic” is set to be disconnected in Nailsworth.
Campaigners have launched a “David and Goliath” style fight to keep their iconic red phone box in operation after BT announced plans to disconnect it.
BT guidelines say a minimum of 52 calls have to be made from the box each year in order for it to remain in service.
Nailsworth Computer Shop owner Paddy Coyle has launched a campaign to save the phone box on Nympsfield Road /Spring Hill, he insists it should not be dismissed as a “relic of the past”.
“This phone box is the very fabric of our community and is an iconic landmark when giving out directions for people coming to Nailsworth,” said Mr Coyle.
“There’s so much this phone box could add to our community and we would like to see something like a defibrillator installed in it.”
Mr Coyle is now urging people to email the Nailsworth Town clerk to help say the beloved box, he added: ” Just one quick email to clerk@nailsworthtowncouncil.gov.uk and say that we want to save it. It is past the BT 90-day deadline, but it is still not to late for the council to buy it for just £1.”
BT said maintaining and operating payphones costs millions of pounds each year, money that could be invested in full fibre broadband and mobile networks.
It said it encouraged communities to “adopt” redundant kiosks, with thousands having been retained for uses including mini-libraries, defibrillator points and information hubs.
A spokesperson for BT said: “Calls made from our public telephones have fallen by around 90% in the past decade.
“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.”
