The residents of a small community on the Dyan Road, outside Caledon, have until August 14 to find some new use for their much-loved – if badly battered – red phone box, if they want to avert its removal.
For all its credentials as a traditional telephone kiosk of iconic design, it hasn’t been afforded Listed status, unlike other phone boxes that are identical in design in Mid Ulster.
And while Listed phone boxes will simply be sealed if no new use can be found for them, non-Listed ones will be removed.
Although Dyan Road residents view their retro-style red phone box as a valued fixture adding character to the area, BT are keen to remove it, as it hasn’t been used once in the past 12 months.
Speaking at Thursday, July 24’s monthly meeting of Mid Ulster District Council, Chair DUP Councillor Frances Burton appealed to Council officers to help save a local landmark of huge sentimental value.
She said: “I’ve been contacted by a number of residents in the Dyan area outside Caledon, and they have a very sad-looking phone box.
“I have been reporting it to try and get it upgraded, and sadly nothing has happened.
“I was working with Deborah Erskine, our MLA for the area, and I think they’re of the mindset now to just remove it and take the handy road out, but it is seen by the local people as a landmark, and it’s something they want to keep in that area.
“So, [if we could] work with officers to see if we can ensure it doesn’t be moved.”
In correspondence to Mid Ulster District Council, the BT Group explained that a number of phone boxes had been earmarked for removal and/or to be sealed for good.
“We’ve identified 29 public payphones in your area that are no longer needed.
“I’ve attached the list of payphones that we’re planning to remove. [Some] are Listed, so we propose to remove the telephony and lock the kiosk.
“To make sure that the local community are fully informed, we’ve placed notices on these payphones.
“Communities can ‘adopt’ phone boxes to turn them into something completely different.
“With payphone usage falling, communities are looking at new ways of using them.
“Thousands of boxes have been reinvented as cafés, mini-libraries, and defibrillator sites.
“Communities can adopt most red boxes for just £1. They can also adopt modern glass boxes if they want to house a defibrillator. Visit bt.com/adopt for more information.
“You can make representations until August 14. We’ll take account of representations you make about our plans when we’re making our final decision.”
The Listed red phone boxes which could be locked for good, if no community use if found for them by August 14, are located in St. Patrick’s Street, Cahore Road junction, Draperstown; Knockanroe Road, Ardtrea Road junction, Stewartstown; Lough Fea Road, Lissan post office, Cookstown; Cavan Road, Bush Road junction, Dungannon; Rockdale Road, Drumballyhugh Road junction, Dungannon; Moneymore Road junction, Cookstown; Aghintain Road junction with the Skelgagh Road, Clogher.
The non-Listed phone boxes facing removal are located in Middletown, Caledon, Maghera, Magherafelt (x 5), Augher, Dungannon (x 7), and Cookstown (x 6).
