It only costs £1 to adopt a phone box. Kick-off the process with a simple email to [email protected]
So what would you do with your local phone box?
Top comments
herbertsimpson
29 Dec 1646#20
I think this will be big in today's hottest deals, but a word of warning... the dolphin I adopted stopped writing to me once it got my cash.
smallclone
29 Dec 1632#2
I'd probably start by getting rid of the smell of urine.
Deanidge to rmw
29 Dec 1621#14
No there's not.
Darzen
29 Dec 1620#6
They should make them into a portal to another dimension.
Latest comments (264)
bfam
29 Jan 17#264
Great idea! I'm out of work and would love to set one up as a small business (coffee shop etc.) The only problem for me is that I don't live near one which has enough footfall. Would like one in London, but apparently you need one close by in order to qualify?
Sparks11
6 Jan 171#263
Would have been awesome...
melted
6 Jan 17#262
Yes me. I'm turning mine into a changing room fitted with a superhero costume vending machine, so you really do see people stepping out of telephone boxes dressed as superman.
Or maybe I'm just lying...
Sparks11
6 Jan 17#261
Did anyone actually contact BT about getting one of these?
Sparks11
5 Jan 17#260
Of course, most excellent dude haha
check_your_bank
5 Jan 17#259
I think you will find it was 'most excellent' lol
I remember it being extremely popular as a kid !
Sparks11
5 Jan 17#258
terrible film!
Newbold
5 Jan 17#257
Every network.
BigDiscovery
5 Jan 17#256
Mini jail and see how many teenagers we could fit in them or give them prison experience and couple them up with some proper convicts in them. Lock up for small crimes like hooliganism, shoplifting etc. 24h for all the town to be on display. And I would call this masterpiece a "Who wants to be famous" booth.
Sparks11
5 Jan 17#255
you've tried them all?
Sparks11
5 Jan 17#254
everyone is from the past....
Stowgood
4 Jan 17#253
lul are you from the past?
Newbold
4 Jan 171#252
Not my experience of Three at all. Mainly 4G round here (well away from London I'm pleased to say) and the customer service has been outstanding. Always prepared to negotiate a good deal, and recently sorted out a very minor Feel at Home data usage issue with a generous £10 credit. I've tried all of them, and Three is the only one I've ever stuck with long-term.
GrowSomew
4 Jan 17#251
Three = 3G (rubbish battery life phone models, in other words) ONLY. I get poor signal with that in LONDON, let alone out in the sticks... Where I also got poor signal, hence not giving them any more money (and for other bad behaviour from Three, lack of ethics and lying by omission to their customers about Feel At Home).
rossjamesparker
4 Jan 17#250
There is free power to the box, so I'm going to set up the world's smallest aluminium smelter outside my village shop.
mbf199t
4 Jan 17#249
They should install those mobile phone charging stations in them. The free ones, where you put your phone in a box to charge for 15 mins to get topped up. Each one could easily accommodate ten phone charging boxes.
check_your_bank
4 Jan 17#248
wadz03
3 Jan 17#247
Came here for the comments, certainly didn't disappoint. :smirk:
AttentionHorse
3 Jan 171#246
...pity the poor sod who mistakes it for a phone...
tomminator
3 Jan 17#245
pull them out of the ground with a hiab send to brit loving americans at £20,000 per piece they can use them as showers in trendy apartments ?
iibdii
2 Jan 17#244
If theres any must have been painted in union jack or green like post boxes n pavements
shahid1
2 Jan 17#243
It's another British way to rip people like increasing tution fee 3 times and now freaking BREXIT, this country is messed up but people still enjoying BOOZED LOL!!!
shahid1
2 Jan 17#242
But you get device and customer service along with but I can't have Sky without TV license tough, so TV license is a SCAM
thermomonkey
1 Jan 17#241
Ridiculous. A time travelling vehicle however...
Which reminds me, did everyone know Bill and Ted 3 is going to be made?? And maybe even set in the U.K. So it might come true.
Why not make them toilets after all these been used for the same purpose for ages
Ppl don't wanna pay 50p for a phone call but might wanna pay this much for taking the p!ss
They can also sell them to royal mail for parcel collection n letter boxes
118luke
31 Dec 16#235
Lap dance club
djmackie2000
31 Dec 16#234
My dad has two of these at his house one with the queen crown on it and one without. Have has guys offer his ££ for them and even bt trying to bay them back. But he loves them.
Sparks11
31 Dec 16#233
I don't think it's a real phone box, just one made to look like one... Unless it's on the ground floor
99hawkeye99
31 Dec 16#232
But how the hell do you get the box into bathroom, they weigh near 750Kg .. and reinforce the floor joists ?
wakeywarrior
31 Dec 16#231
I think many of them are protected so they can't remove them.
peterkay11
31 Dec 16#230
Bet you're a right barrel of laughs! Mate.
montana78
30 Dec 161#229
if we get enough in one road/town then we can setup domino
simandoo
30 Dec 16#228
Looks like you do
azda81
30 Dec 16#227
So you want a service for free then? :S
Is SKY subscription on low end packages not a scam in that case?
shahid1
30 Dec 16#226
Otherwise tell tories to tax them
shahid1
30 Dec 16#225
These are useless and taking unnecessary space, rip them off
shahid1
30 Dec 16#224
It's another scam like phone line rental and tv license
Sparks11
30 Dec 16#223
Like the Amazon parcel lockers? Good idea.
crazyjake
30 Dec 16#222
Turn it into a post office or parcel collection locker
Sparks11
30 Dec 16#221
My signal is terrible in my house, step outside and its 4g
Helgrr
30 Dec 16#220
There actually are, and even if you have a mobile there's still plenty of places where they dont work at all
Bendown
30 Dec 16#219
The poorest have better phones than me
supersue
30 Dec 16#218
I think the point is that you don't OWN it
Macdory
30 Dec 163#217
Must be very similar to the corner shop policy of no more than 2 children in at any time ...
fatreg
30 Dec 16#216
I haven't seen a non DECT phone in about 10 years, power down = dead base station...
joyf4536
30 Dec 161#215
Coul
There are those who live IN places where you can't even get a mobile signal
Judosteffer
30 Dec 16#214
The ones in Timsbury, Carlingcott and Tunley near Bath, and Westbury-sub-mendip have had a few shelves added and have been turned into Book, CD, DVD and games exchanges! Works really well, if you live in a trusting community!
Error440
30 Dec 16#213
Get a boiler one of those big ones like 6 foot long, stand it in it, take a paine of glass out and have a tap sticking out, attach a cup holder to the outside and fill the boiler with tea.
Free tea for everyone.
joyf4536
30 Dec 16#212
Probably an app on your phone
therealclaireh
30 Dec 16#211
Nice idea but there are those of us that live near places where you can't even get a mobile signal
Am i right in thinking if you own this, you are liable as such if anyone had an accident or anything untoward was to happen? So wouldn't you require public liability insurance also? Sounds like BT are plugging this as a simple way to remove significant liability from their business.....
001_ATLANTIS
30 Dec 161#208
The serious point being missed here is that it's little more than a clever ruise by BT to offload a significant liability. The boxes have outlived their purpose, no longer generate any income and are therefore a drain on BT in terms of maintenance.
RedBullRacing
30 Dec 161#207
Fit them up to accommodate the wiring that is currently held in those ugly green wiring boxes
poshaffi
30 Dec 161#206
I'd open up a fastfood joint :sunglasses:
Daft Taf
30 Dec 16#205
I have been thinking about buy to Let for a while now
Uranium234
30 Dec 16#204
They should turn them into a pay to enter booth which provides shelter for homeless, im sure homeless people wouldnt mind paying a couple of wuick for a comfy chair to sleep on (temporary)
azda81
30 Dec 16#203
Yep ... then they were purchased by shareholders when the government privatised it
willhay555
30 Dec 161#202
Last time I used one it swallowed my 2p without giving me my call.
Never again.
I'm not falling for this.
helcatamy1
30 Dec 16#201
oh I want one :-)
maltikism
30 Dec 16#200
didn't tax payers build these in the first place?
Riverghost
30 Dec 16#199
Could use as a heated build enclosure for a community operated 3d printer. Nice concept but none near me.
Angof
30 Dec 16#198
Or 3 minutes for £3
tezsar09
30 Dec 16#197
I was thinking of turning the one by me into a nightclub
SuperMariosDad
30 Dec 16#196
The good old days :laughing:
starman0147
30 Dec 16#195
It there a way to check what is avaiable beforehand. without emailing.
I dont get the logic here, it seems like a scheme charities "adopt" with when you sponsor a donkey or whenever, when 100s of other people did the same thing
SlMBA2K
30 Dec 16#194
Had considered the EV charging myself, sadly not one close enough for the 7kw you'd likely get (at best) to be of use. Rapids would require groundworks and too much sorting, shame though. Seemed tempting when they mentioned free electricity if it is powered already ;-)
jamesallsup
30 Dec 16#193
futurama, suicide booth?
Wolfylee
30 Dec 16#192
Judging by the comments, I think some people on here are under the delusion that BT are going to allow the average private individual to adopt a phone box for a quid. Are they balls - they aren't going to sign over a powered phone box to Joe Bloggs just because he wants it.
mcderment
30 Dec 16#191
I want one in my bathroom so I can turn it into a shower cubicle.
tommyangelot
30 Dec 16#190
A glory hole. :smirk:
Spidersmudge
30 Dec 16#189
Sounds lovely and quaint and respectful. I'm pretty sure that would last about 0.5 seconds in Manchester before some **** up scroats decided to 'revive' each other! :disappointed:
simandoo
30 Dec 16#188
I had been thinking of turning it into lockers for homeless people to use, but I wonder if that would be met with problems from the police (someone could stash a bomb?!).
Sparks11
30 Dec 16#187
The only reason we still have landlines is because they still work during a power cut, and its a safety requirement during an emergency.
Voice Over IP will take over landlines.
azda81
30 Dec 161#186
Eh? Why do most people expect BT to give everything away for free? Last time I looked it's a privatised company as you've mentioned so what's your point???
nolanj3
30 Dec 16#185
Just fit them with a urinal
KareemSaid
30 Dec 16#184
We never could see that star we bought. Whoever buys this has a pound more than me.
I give to charity but paying for people to urinate or take drugs in the wind free environs of a public phone box never crossed my mind. Glad that they are red though, have never taken a leak in one before but will definitely seek them out now.
Who knows, phone companies may latch onto the idea that you need a landline and have to pay monthly "rental"!
Literal pish
donteatlego123
30 Dec 161#183
Perfect place to roll a joint in harsh weather
cheaperbythe12
30 Dec 16#182
So did the star I adopted for my wife :disappointed:
Flodd
30 Dec 16#181
Depends which way they're facing...
Flodd
30 Dec 161#180
I used to work for a power company that supplied the energy to these kiosks... what BT don't tell you is that the standing charge for the unmetered power supply is about £300 a year.
Que, hordes of angry middle class pensioners from chudley-on-the-wold (or wherever) calling in once a year on receipt of the bill to go absolutely **** ape **** at the poor sod on the phone as BT told them "it only costs a pound..."
alasdair67
30 Dec 16#179
Horrible idea! That'd mean me wasting £4.50 each time...
preecey
30 Dec 16#178
I wouldn't call it 'sad', I'd call it 'knowledgeable of the mobile industry' mate.
sawsa
30 Dec 16#177
BT make enough money from us already for their shareholders. This is their responsibility to look after them.
Cavity
30 Dec 16#176
Dolphin writing back to you! Nigerian prince written all over it...
Master G
30 Dec 162#175
Go for a walk. They are easy to spot if there is one near you, they're bright red.
postmang
30 Dec 16#174
How do you find the location of the phone boxes?
simandoo
30 Dec 16#173
Oh okay, fair point. I just thought I might have missed something!
heatherw_01
30 Dec 16#172
Of course. Just pointing it out
simandoo
30 Dec 16#171
That only seems fair though, if you own it you should pay for any support / maintenance required, right? And liability too. If you put a big pit inside with a sign saying "open" and someone falls in and breaks their leg, that is obviously your fault!
simandoo
30 Dec 16#170
I'm a bit upset to see that most of the ones near me have been purchased by a company called Red Kiosk Company who have I assume just bought them all up for £1 each and have put stickers in them saying "call us to use this as a retail outlet". If you call them they tell you they will put a coffee machine in it and sell it to you for £9,000!
heatherw_01
30 Dec 16#169
Yup
"The adopting community will be responsible for all support and maintenance of the kiosk and for any liability resulting from the kiosk or its use following completion of the transfer."
fwog
30 Dec 16#168
No, was chatting to him a few weeks ago. A charity in Bournemouth bought all the boxes in Brum. They rent them out to SME's :smiley:
001_ATLANTIS
30 Dec 161#167
BT have been trying to hive these off for years to local authorities, parish council's etc. What they don't tell you about is the legal liabilities you inherit and ongoing maintenenance costs, so the "for a £1" bit is not entirely accurate.
DonkeyKonk
30 Dec 16#166
After Sleeping on it I think having it as a 'Pre Internet Experience' box' might be good.
Would have a shield against using WiFi/ internet around it, and a copy of Readers Wives inside it.
yozzas
30 Dec 16#165
somewhere for junkies to shoot up or scallies to roll a joint . just kidding a smoking shed for the garden or a greenhouse .
austinc
30 Dec 16#164
BT= Blame Transferred
austinc
30 Dec 16#163
yep when the little scrotes put all the windows out or torch it, guess who gets the bill
AnywhereButHere
30 Dec 16#162
A small office to learn how to type with one hand whilst commenting on HUKD deals.
jr007
30 Dec 161#161
I want to turn one into a shower.
SalfordCityRed
30 Dec 16#160
The elderly, is this the same elderly who get pension credit and other benefits should they not have enough cash? Who are these people? The working poor, zero hour contract folk?
Dear Mr Echo
30 Dec 16#159
We have a box right outside our house. Just been to check it out… no urine… no vandalism. I'm going to open an art gallery.
psiron
30 Dec 161#158
Heat.............for the coolness
bargainhunter1059
30 Dec 16#157
The Royal Mail should acquire them all and convert them to storage points for mail or even post boxes.
Mind you, I guess it won't be long before the Royal Mail decide they want to sell off all the post boxes. We'll then be able to have the same issue over what to do with them.
Dead_Pixel
30 Dec 16#156
Or his business is a charity trust & he pays himself a salary :wink:
DarrylJohn
30 Dec 16#155
Portaloos
bigal22
30 Dec 161#154
There's one in Hampstead (North London) it's a cafe
chris8210
30 Dec 16#153
Cash machine
fwog
30 Dec 161#152
He has to rent it off charity
charliemike
30 Dec 16#151
These make handy urinals.
fwog
30 Dec 16#150
You wouldn't fit many kids in there :disappointed:
Master G
30 Dec 16#149
I doubt any still have a phone book in them, but i'm sure you'd be allowed to take it home if it did. :stuck_out_tongue:
talhagulli
30 Dec 16#148
Just like what Westfield shopping centre have, but we charge then 1 quid per half an hour
DebtFreeWannaBeE
30 Dec 16#147
Loooool :smiley:
ikonanddiva
30 Dec 16#146
An enjoyable thread to read, some great comical replies but hot!? Who has actually paid a £1?
I don't know about your "community", but my local Red Phone Box is often vandalised with shards of glass littered around, has recovering Drug and Alcohol addicts loitering about with a can in their hand, dog on leash, trying their best to compete with neanderthal man's elocution.
For £1, I can acquire responsibility for repair and maintenance of said abused box?
You're better off relocating the box on your own property and keeping it as nostalgia or scrap. Leaving it in situ sounds like an expensive long-term burden.
Fun idea but...Cold.
badgerman2
30 Dec 16#145
I just wrote off my DeLorean in the ice, so have a spare flux capacitor. I was tempted to install it in a phonebox, but I'd get laughed out of the village - who has ever heard of a time travelling phone box?
Jonlogical
30 Dec 16#144
Wait until you get the rates bill from the council!
boothylad
30 Dec 161#143
lost my virginity in a phone box....might see if that one is available
edward2910
30 Dec 16#142
I found a baby elephant abandoned in one in my village, just after Christmas in 1976. This was before the slogan "An elephant is for life, not just for Christmas" was adopted. Another time I found a phone that worked. One of these statements is a lie - can you guess which one?
UniquelyMoi247
30 Dec 16#141
Love this!
afroylnt
30 Dec 16#140
Was it a Nigerian Dolphin?
bojangles
30 Dec 16#139
A charging station for mobile phones :smiley:
moley
30 Dec 16#138
so did that Nigerian lottery man !!!
Deanidge
30 Dec 161#137
Where do you work, the 1990's?
Sparks11
30 Dec 16#136
You dont own the land
qwerta369
30 Dec 16#135
They'd still get ICE'd, I guarantee it.
azda81
30 Dec 16#134
Are you saying BT should install more phone boxes? Do you still live in the 80s? Get back in your DeLorean.
ooMIKEYoo
30 Dec 16#133
Haven't read too far through the comments, but who owns the land underneath it? And can you remove the phone book and take it home with you?
muffboy
30 Dec 16#132
Bit optimistic thinking you will last 30 minutes, or are you planning on taking some mates with you?
Looks like my dogging hotspot/venue is the favourite thus far, it's the future.
mastablasta
30 Dec 161#131
They could be turned into mini mosques with a prayer mat in them.
djbenny1
30 Dec 16#130
Unfortunately we've mostly got the horrendous looking 90s ones with mostly glass in them in Northern Ireland
azda81
30 Dec 162#129
I've been smoking those fact based and educated cigars. Virgin, Kingston Communications, GigaClear ... there's hundreds. SKY etc lease from them instead but have their own network in York ... it's the most competitive communications market in the world. Do some homework. No one is stopping anyone from installing their own infrastructure everywhere they just won't.
AdrianE141
30 Dec 162#128
Or they could just remove them and no longer offer anything.
AdrianE141
30 Dec 16#127
I used to see the reports of issues with the boxes, you would be very surprised what was found in them! Majority of the time was just needles, urine excrement but lots of other worse items.
Shoesize
30 Dec 16#126
Wow, 3 likes for a comment that's been auto-corrected into almost incomprehension! Where are you easily-pleased bozos when I make my minorly amusing comments?
AdrianE141
30 Dec 16#125
They only remove the ones that are not used in a long period that there is just no longer a need for them. You can pick up a pay as you go phone for the £10.
sweetlikechocolateboy
30 Dec 16#124
Food pantry for the homeless?
Shoesize
30 Dec 16#123
Skin up shelter??? Move with the times, daddio! I think you mean vaping den! (Which BTW auto-corrected for me as "gaping" den - a frighteningly different proposition!!!!)
anthony69
30 Dec 16#122
You shouldn't have been so flippant about it then!
wakeywarrior
30 Dec 162#121
The sceptic in me thinks this could be BT offloading a liability, dressed up as 'community'. Who is responsible for the upkeep after 'adopting' (another fluffy word) the box? Could be expensive if damaged and vandalised.
peterkay11
30 Dec 16#120
Sad man
DeeKay86
30 Dec 161#119
Wow, you obviously have no clue what you are on about! Don't believe this idiotic comment, this person has clearly lost the plot when it comes to understanding Openreach. Quit spreading your stupidity. Thank you.
kazenc
30 Dec 16#118
Just had a nosey, such a great idea! Looks great, I saw that it needed a new coat of paint, I wonder if it was done? Just a shame bt can't advise what to do for the up keep of them and stop them from rotting away
pdhroche
30 Dec 16#117
If the demand was there don't you think BT would keep them?
Northerndave
30 Dec 16#116
Apart from under 9's and over 90's
peckjek
30 Dec 16#115
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\would make a great gunge tank ahhh 1990's nostalgia kicking in;)
reconminicon
30 Dec 16#114
Would have to be a gunge chamber! It's the only way!
Ed Winchester
30 Dec 162#113
A fingering hotspot. Pump in some fish smells and early 90s techno. A dash of orange 20/20.
Just to be clear:
WHO can apply?
Any recognised local authority, parish/
community/town council, Registered
Charity or any Charitable Organisation
registered with HM Revenue & Customers
(HMRC) for recognition as a charity
throughout the UK can apply to adopt
their local phone box.
hits
30 Dec 16#109
Not being a humbug as a great idea. But please be aware that the phone boxes are generally subject to nndr or business rates. So the owner becomes liable I.e if it's rented out the tenant otherwise whoever owns it
gardinator
30 Dec 161#108
a mother **** cage to stick the wife in!
regreid
29 Dec 16#107
is there anything in the contract that states you cannot remove it?
Had a quick look through and couldn't see anything(it is late and i am tired, so may have missed it somewhere)
mishmassey
29 Dec 161#106
...and people are wondering why the world is going to ruins. People like you lot, buying phone boxes and filling them with things. Where are the superheros meant to get changed now hmm? Crime will overcome us and all because you selfish people are clogging up these sacred changing places!
Shame on all of you.
Sparks11
29 Dec 161#105
Someone has created a shower :smiley:
rosieryveswebb
29 Dec 161#104
It's best those people start using pay phones more then, we can't keep them just in case someone might suddenly fancy a go one day. The ones getting decommissioned are being chosen because they're under used.
The community were trying to remove the one by my old flat for ages due to ASB & drug dealing and BT wouldn't entertain it because it was so profitable. Always short calls to mobiles or other phone boxes by the same people...they didn't realise the old bill were downloading the data from BT every month
Master G
29 Dec 16#103
Could be quite expensive to connect to the water main and the sewer.
WonderWoman
29 Dec 161#102
I get where you're coming from but as we all know we have huge aging population in this country. And yes, the elder portion of that population may not 'go out' to make a call but there are still massive parts of the U.K. with poor or no signal. Even if you have a good signal reception for many, the idea that you can call anywhere in the world for little money with a phone in your hand tbh just doesn't comprehend. For many of the 'elder' older generation technology is a massive/frightening minefield and we should at the very least respect that and take their needs into account. Before anyone starts I'm not suggesting that all phone boxes are kept for phones :stuck_out_tongue: just wanted to state my view. Ace idea - great post OP :smiley: HOT from me.
sparklehedgehog
29 Dec 16#101
The council would never allow you to dodge their over charging public ones!
They want to be able to fine the people without money on them that get caught short
Stealth tax!
sparklehedgehog
29 Dec 16#100
I want to know this too
sparklehedgehog
29 Dec 16#99
I've always thought these would genuinely be a perfect shower point as the box is a shower cubicle ready made then use the phone itself as the shower unit and the spray come out of the ear piece. Would be awesome
sparklehedgehog
29 Dec 161#98
A dogging station?!
preecey
29 Dec 16#97
Visit the phone box and take note of the number in the poster inside?
LondonTTB
29 Dec 161#96
How do you find the box number?
Dead_Pixel
29 Dec 162#95
Guy in Birmingham City Centre has had his Red Telephone Box for ages.
He turned it into a trendy Coffee Shop, with tables & chairs around it. It's right next to a Starbucks & always busy :man:
montyburns56
29 Dec 16#94
I'm gonna turn my local one into a sex box.
hooray henry
29 Dec 16#93
Shooting gallery.
Madchester
29 Dec 162#92
Skin up shelter? When I were a lad it was murder skinning up outside with t' wind 'n that.
skarmachild
29 Dec 161#91
IT does say any bills of upkeep or anything related to the phone box becomes the responsibility of the buyer so yeah,..... i'd watch out for this you might get an unexpected bill to refurbish your new phone box.
pw98
29 Dec 161#90
We as a town council are investigating the possibility of taking 3 over in our town. 35 are going in the Tunbridge wells, Kent, borough in January. All mainly in the parishes.
We are looking to use them as a notice board.
You need to bear in mind that the vast majority of kiosks are now of the metal type and not the red boxes we all love.
freeonline
29 Dec 16#89
Solitary Confinement Guantanamo Bay Detention for BT Incompetent engineers/staff. Starting from the CEO complaint department. More needed to be installed to accommodate.
edward2910
29 Dec 16#88
An unusual find. I have seen one phone box being used as a free book shop where people leave their unwanted books and others take them.
I imagine in the London that people are snapping them up, upgrading and adding a kitchen then selling them on as £2.1 million flats, because that is the starting price for a flat down there.
mjccam
29 Dec 16#87
could you not just pay the pound then get it uplifted to somewhere else if it's in a rubbish area?
scrimpersdelight
29 Dec 161#86
Lol! walked into that one, Sparks. If you're talking about monopolies, try Kingston Communications for size. Try buying a service from anyone else in Hull.
wenx
29 Dec 165#85
The one near our end has been turned into a shower for the homeless.
NI User
29 Dec 16#84
Is it available in Northern Ireland?
acharris69
29 Dec 163#83
I would rent it out to Superman :stuck_out_tongue: lol
garry141
29 Dec 161#82
Dogging hotspot
boyaloud
29 Dec 16#81
I really, genuinely think they should become urinals. Would solve a lot of problems. Even if they were only open late at night.
scrimpersdelight
29 Dec 162#80
Fair points, but I was commenting on the suggestion that phone boxes should be maintained to help the skint and the wrinkly. But I can appreciate that lack of mobile coverage might lead to more dependency on phone boxes. Saying that, do those in such locations tend to get used more (or are there none left)?
Sparks11
29 Dec 16#79
Could get a bit messy...
Iceman29
29 Dec 16#78
'Place of work' for local prostitutes?
MR1123
29 Dec 16#77
2 to replace the cubicle at my work toilet's.
tomba
29 Dec 162#76
Londinium...£40,000 single apartment in red with views on 3 sides??? :man:
nublets2k
29 Dec 16#75
You do realise that Openreach isn't going anywhere right? It's being separated from BT Group, but it'll still run the same show.
Sparks11
29 Dec 162#74
Virgin media install phone lines and fibre...
cikki100
29 Dec 161#73
what? you think openreach is not a monopoly? what have you been smoking? anyway name us one of openreach's direct competitor, who else installs phone lines etc?
brooky
29 Dec 16#72
To be fair why should it be BT who have to make a loss on phone boxes to support the poor and elderly? It's a PLC, not a charity or a government owned company. You could say talk talk and Sky are ignoring the poor and elderly by not having any phone boxes.
householdhorror
29 Dec 161#71
You can have totally free mobiles, won't do you any good here! No signal at all. You might get one if you stand in the middle of the park... very still... on a clear day. Or if you trek up one of the big hills, but in or near your house? Not a chance.
Wish I could convince companies of this. Not much good all these services that need text confirmation that also expires within 20 minutes. :disappointed:
davidclack
29 Dec 16#70
I think they would make great party venues for lonely people :smiley:
jimmy101
29 Dec 16#69
There's also a rule that says it can't be used for telecommunications stuff so no Wi-Fi etc is allowed
Tanweeralqarni
29 Dec 16#68
Phonetastic
Gollywood
29 Dec 16#67
£1 pro rata then :disappointed:
hjx120s
29 Dec 162#66
Check out Thurloxton Book Exchange on Facebook!!
zmasta94
29 Dec 16#65
only for charities and LA :disappointed:
axxxr
29 Dec 16#64
Shame you need to ne bear a Old Red Phonebox first in order to qualify to do this, around Essex there are no Red phone boxes left.
Master G
29 Dec 16#63
A company did this with 20 around Leeds city centre 3 years ago.
scrimpersdelight
29 Dec 161#62
How poor do you have to be before you can't afford the cheapest payg handset these days? And what has being old got to do with needing a phone box? Aren't old people capable of using a landline or mobile? Phoneboxes stopped being profitable years ago, I'm afraid they are going the way of the dodo!
Master G
29 Dec 162#61
The legal stuff
6. You’ll buy the phone box as seen, with any and all physical defects. BT neither gives nor assumes any representations, warranties or conditions concerning the quality of the kiosk or its fitness for purpose.
7. The adopting community will be responsible for all support and maintenance of the kiosk and for any liability resulting from the kiosk or its use following completion of the transfer.
theposter
29 Dec 161#60
Councils/BT have to keep a certain number of these boxes in cases of emergency ...although not for the girl snorting lines in the one I passed the other day...
Magshull22
29 Dec 161#59
You do know this is how the suicide booth started on Futurama!
bozo007
29 Dec 16#58
I don't think adopting equates ownership, so none of the liability should apply.
Master G
29 Dec 162#57
That works out at around 50p for me. :stuck_out_tongue: and that includes foreplay!
bern67
29 Dec 161#56
Facebook could install Facebook check in points , and help communities get connected
meistic
29 Dec 16#55
A private room for a quick sex. £5 for 30
minutes. That's a cool idea
Master G
29 Dec 164#54
Turn your local one into an aquarium and put the dolphin in it. That way, you can visit it whenever you like. There's always a solution if you put your mind to it. :wink:
Tomtech
29 Dec 16#53
Only charities and local authorities can do this, but it's a great idea
treeofthefiddy
29 Dec 16#52
Is there any way to find phone boxes near you? I can't remember seeing any near me.
azda81
29 Dec 16#51
Come off it sunshine ... are you bitter because you can't get ultrafast BB and believe BTS rivals in the BS they state. Not a monopoly when you have many other providers.
kelsbels12
29 Dec 163#50
yes there is, where I work people come in and don't have mobile phones, nor do they have internet at home. Not everyone can afford it
kelsbels12
29 Dec 16#49
There is one in Beer, Devon and was turned into a Library. Its a very cool idea indeed
pistol6000
29 Dec 162#48
hmm maybe we could just pay the extra for the flux capacitor, then time travel in the phone box?
wait... i think ive got the plot to a great movie there.
i shall call it "Back to the excellent adventure"
joksmith
29 Dec 163#47
Future a style suicide booths :smiley:
Muir
29 Dec 162#46
They should just move a bunch of the unused ones to Central London from around the country, just to reduce the queues of tourists I see every day at the ones you mention outside Westminster station. If the queues get shorter, some of us might be able to get past...
hadyanth
29 Dec 161#45
Yep just paid a quid to turn the local phone box into a public urinal. At least it then becomes an 'official' one.
Python
29 Dec 16#44
I'd turn it into a brothel
usetheforceluke
29 Dec 16#43
DIY crematorium, cheaper than going to Switzerland.
mittromney
29 Dec 162#42
lcd adverts on the outside for advertising prostitutes.
MeneerSmith
29 Dec 164#41
You do know it is still BT Openreach that install broadband? Blame them for a) slow installs b) **** speeds c) still having to rent a landline d) the massive landline costs.
Sooner they kill Openreach's monopoly the better.
secretspartan1
29 Dec 161#40
I want the one next to big Ben that's constantly being photographed, would be an awesome advertising opportunity.
topss
29 Dec 161#39
Damn, I wanted to dig a tunnel between two of them.
Anyway, can these be removed and re-sited? There doesn't seem to be any mention of this in the 'contract' other than:
Oliver_Warden8
29 Dec 16#38
can you take it home or does it have to stay where it is?
Darzen
29 Dec 1620#6
They should make them into a portal to another dimension.
oliverreed to Darzen
29 Dec 163#37
Yours isn't?
rmw
29 Dec 1610#12
Bit out there but......don't ridicule me.....why not have pay phones in them! There are plenty of people in the U.K. Who don't have landlines and/or mobiles. This is BT ignoring the poorest and elderly in our communities.
Deanidge to rmw
29 Dec 1621#14
No there's not.
melted to rmw
29 Dec 161#25
How often do you see a phone box with a phone in it that hasn't been vandalised these days.
Mobile phones are available at throwaway prices.
I suppose you could always turn one into a mobile phone vending machine :smiley:
AntC to rmw
29 Dec 16#34
You'd be better off buying a £10 phone & some credit instead of the amount phoneboxs rinse you.
I would pay to knock it down, just an eyesore these days :smile:
preecey to rmw
29 Dec 162#35
The fact that you have mobiles available from just £10 these days, and that you can make calls for just 3p per minute (Three Pay As You Go) or 10p an hour (Talk Mobile Pay As You Go), your comment does seem about ten years out of date.
Marekj to rmw
29 Dec 161#36
They aren't getting rid of the kiosks that are still utilised by the public, but some of these things don't get used for years at a time.
We had one local to us in an urban area that BT were decommissioning, which caused uproar in the community due to being an essential service for those without mobiles. Turns out there hadn't been a call made on it in nearly two years.
Also, not sure what the elderly have got or do with it. Are they more inclined to leave their home to go and make a call?
cb-uk
29 Dec 161#33
Most local Councils won't even pay to have pot-holes fixed, so there is probably stuff-all chance of them taking on full legal liability for owning and maintaining these boxes.
Oh, and let's not forget the insurance. If someone vandalises / crashes into these boxes, I would imagine the cost of getting replacement panels from BT would be only marginally less than buying a Flux Capacitor. Remember the "good old days" when you could only buy telephones from BT, and it took a month or two for them to install them? (a bit like TalkTalk broadband really, lol)
melted
29 Dec 16#32
Or turn it into a proper urinal, as they always seem to be sited where there's a demand
muffboy
29 Dec 161#31
Yes indeed, in their day these were used more as a toilet than for making telephone calls.
I suggest they are not really suitable as WIFI hotspots, rather more suited as DOGGING venues.
beverleyberney
29 Dec 161#30
we have a couple of in our area, one houses a village book swap, another is decorated according to season and most recently one has been proposed to house the parish defibrillator.
PhilthyPhil
29 Dec 165#29
a convention centre for all my friends
wolf33055
29 Dec 161#28
Do what BT should have done 20 years ago, the public voted for this years ago (normally on a Friday and Saturday night), and fit a urinal.:laughing:
sickly sweet
29 Dec 162#27
My village turned one into a children's library :smiley:
MisterTIBS
29 Dec 162#26
"Community".. lol..
DonkeyKonk
29 Dec 163#24
Paint it gold and claim I won a gold medal.
nutterburger
29 Dec 165#15
Sounds cool but is this a sneaky way of passing any liability on to the community/person? For example if it's vandalised or in dis-repair, is the new owner agreeing to fit any repair bills?
azda81 to nutterburger
29 Dec 16#23
Why would BT still maintain it if its no longer to be used as a phone point and not in their interest? These boxes are iconic and it's nice to see them so just ripping them out without offering out for other usage isn't a first option.
furbars
29 Dec 164#22
Handy when it's raining you could use your mobile phone in one
Cro_Baron
29 Dec 16#21
Turn it in to vending machine!
herbertsimpson
29 Dec 1646#20
I think this will be big in today's hottest deals, but a word of warning... the dolphin I adopted stopped writing to me once it got my cash.
quidstretchy
29 Dec 1610#19
was you?
ssc1
29 Dec 161#18
for those boxes they couldn't be bothered with removing some odd 10 years ago.
fahed2000
29 Dec 163#17
Electric vehicle rapid charging stations would be my 1st vote and 2nd would be a parcel delivery lockers such as the Amazon ones, possibly even fitted with a chiller for frozen foods for sainsburys... etc
DonkeyKonk
29 Dec 1618#16
A pop-up brothel.
debbsy
29 Dec 163#13
A phone box near to my village has been turned into a book swap with shelves of books from floor to ceiling.
littld
29 Dec 165#11
I like the ones they make into libraries.
watchmedeal
29 Dec 167#10
Cheap accommodation... I wonder if they do buy to let?
veedubjai
29 Dec 16#9
That's awesome.
118luke
29 Dec 163#7
Why dont BT turn them all into wifi hotspots? Or low power mobile transmitters?
Sparks11 to 118luke
29 Dec 16#8
cheaper to sell them off and get other people to do it...
rvcshart
29 Dec 161#5
The one in our village has power, tempting...
I'd turn it into an amergency phone power box. Add a few charging g Porte, led light it up...
Gotta be more useful than the current state. It's a classic phone box that o my accepts card payments.
andy2005morrell
29 Dec 163#3
pretty cool idea, saw one today with a defibrillator in. shame the ones near me would just get trashed otherwise I'd be up for it
Sparks11 to andy2005morrell
29 Dec 166#4
I used to work for BT and we was asked to come up with ideas of what to do with the phone boxes, the defibrillator was one of those...
Also using them as Phone charging ports and WiFi Hotspots was some other idea :smiley:
smallclone
29 Dec 1632#2
I'd probably start by getting rid of the smell of urine.
Opening post
Take a look at the details of our Adopt a Kiosk scheme https://business.bt.com/solutions/small-business/communities/adopt-a-kiosk-how-it-works/.
It only costs £1 to adopt a phone box. Kick-off the process with a simple email to [email protected]
So what would you do with your local phone box?
Top comments
Latest comments (264)
Or maybe I'm just lying...
I remember it being extremely popular as a kid !
Which reminds me, did everyone know Bill and Ted 3 is going to be made?? And maybe even set in the U.K. So it might come true.
crawl back under your rock
Ppl don't wanna pay 50p for a phone call but might wanna pay this much for taking the p!ss
They can also sell them to royal mail for parcel collection n letter boxes
Is SKY subscription on low end packages not a scam in that case?
There are those who live IN places where you can't even get a mobile signal
Free tea for everyone.
Never again.
I'm not falling for this.
I dont get the logic here, it seems like a scheme charities "adopt" with when you sponsor a donkey or whenever, when 100s of other people did the same thing
Voice Over IP will take over landlines.
I give to charity but paying for people to urinate or take drugs in the wind free environs of a public phone box never crossed my mind. Glad that they are red though, have never taken a leak in one before but will definitely seek them out now.
Who knows, phone companies may latch onto the idea that you need a landline and have to pay monthly "rental"!
Literal pish
Que, hordes of angry middle class pensioners from chudley-on-the-wold (or wherever) calling in once a year on receipt of the bill to go absolutely **** ape **** at the poor sod on the phone as BT told them "it only costs a pound..."
"The adopting community will be responsible for all support and maintenance of the kiosk and for any liability resulting from the kiosk or its use following completion of the transfer."
Would have a shield against using WiFi/ internet around it, and a copy of Readers Wives inside it.
Mind you, I guess it won't be long before the Royal Mail decide they want to sell off all the post boxes. We'll then be able to have the same issue over what to do with them.
I don't know about your "community", but my local Red Phone Box is often vandalised with shards of glass littered around, has recovering Drug and Alcohol addicts loitering about with a can in their hand, dog on leash, trying their best to compete with neanderthal man's elocution.
For £1, I can acquire responsibility for repair and maintenance of said abused box?
You're better off relocating the box on your own property and keeping it as nostalgia or scrap. Leaving it in situ sounds like an expensive long-term burden.
Fun idea but...Cold.
Looks like my dogging hotspot/venue is the favourite thus far, it's the future.
Evening ladies.
WHO can apply?
Any recognised local authority, parish/
community/town council, Registered
Charity or any Charitable Organisation
registered with HM Revenue & Customers
(HMRC) for recognition as a charity
throughout the UK can apply to adopt
their local phone box.
Had a quick look through and couldn't see anything(it is late and i am tired, so may have missed it somewhere)
Shame on all of you.
The community were trying to remove the one by my old flat for ages due to ASB & drug dealing and BT wouldn't entertain it because it was so profitable. Always short calls to mobiles or other phone boxes by the same people...they didn't realise the old bill were downloading the data from BT every month
They want to be able to fine the people without money on them that get caught short
Stealth tax!
He turned it into a trendy Coffee Shop, with tables & chairs around it. It's right next to a Starbucks & always busy :man:
We are looking to use them as a notice board.
You need to bear in mind that the vast majority of kiosks are now of the metal type and not the red boxes we all love.
I imagine in the London that people are snapping them up, upgrading and adding a kitchen then selling them on as £2.1 million flats, because that is the starting price for a flat down there.
Wish I could convince companies of this. Not much good all these services that need text confirmation that also expires within 20 minutes. :disappointed:
6. You’ll buy the phone box as seen, with any and all physical defects. BT neither gives nor assumes any representations, warranties or conditions concerning the quality of the kiosk or its fitness for purpose.
7. The adopting community will be responsible for all support and maintenance of the kiosk and for any liability resulting from the kiosk or its use following completion of the transfer.
minutes. That's a cool idea
wait... i think ive got the plot to a great movie there.
i shall call it "Back to the excellent adventure"
Sooner they kill Openreach's monopoly the better.
Anyway, can these be removed and re-sited? There doesn't seem to be any mention of this in the 'contract' other than:
Mobile phones are available at throwaway prices.
I suppose you could always turn one into a mobile phone vending machine :smiley:
I would pay to knock it down, just an eyesore these days :smile:
We had one local to us in an urban area that BT were decommissioning, which caused uproar in the community due to being an essential service for those without mobiles. Turns out there hadn't been a call made on it in nearly two years.
Also, not sure what the elderly have got or do with it. Are they more inclined to leave their home to go and make a call?
Oh, and let's not forget the insurance. If someone vandalises / crashes into these boxes, I would imagine the cost of getting replacement panels from BT would be only marginally less than buying a Flux Capacitor. Remember the "good old days" when you could only buy telephones from BT, and it took a month or two for them to install them? (a bit like TalkTalk broadband really, lol)
I suggest they are not really suitable as WIFI hotspots, rather more suited as DOGGING venues.
I'd turn it into an amergency phone power box. Add a few charging g Porte, led light it up...
Gotta be more useful than the current state. It's a classic phone box that o my accepts card payments.
Also using them as Phone charging ports and WiFi Hotspots was some other idea :smiley: