Red phone boxes put up for adoption across Wales for £1

Community groups across Wales can adopt red phone boxes for repurposing

Dozens of iconic red phone boxes are being being put up for adoption across Wales for £1 each.

Wales still has around 260 of the K2 red kiosks - first designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1924.

The rise of mobile phones has meant their repurposing in many places to house things like book exchanges and defibrillators.

BT is making 77 phone boxes available to groups across Wales.

The adoption project is open to charities, community councils and local authorities.

At their peak, there were around 92,000 phone boxes in the UK, but 98% of adults in the UK now own a mobile phone.

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There are now around 850 remaining working payphones in Wales, according to BT.

The firm said more than 500 red phone boxes have been adopted since 2008, with many repurposed to house things like book exchanges, food banks, bicycle repair kits, dog waste bags and defibrillators.

Across the UK, the scheme has been taken up by more than 5,000 communities.

One red phone box adopted in 2013 in the village of Rowen in Eryri, also known as Snowdonia National Park, has become a focal point of the community, according to BT.

As well as holding books and a defibrillator, the kiosk next to the Ty Gwyn Hotel has details of local events and serves as an information point for tourists.

Red phone box 'much loved'

"This red phone box is a much-loved local landmark and a popular meeting place," said the Rowen Memorial Hall's Peter McFadden.

"Some residents have told us that they did their teenage courting there," he added.

"When people stopped using it to make calls, and there was a risk it would disappear, we were determined to keep it," he said. "It's been put to so many good uses, including a lifesaving one.

"I'd encourage others to adopt redundant kiosks in their area."

The red kiosk in Rowen has a box exchange and a defibrillator

Thousands of rural phone boxes were protected from closure in 2022 when Ofcom required pay phones with more than 52 calls in the previous year to be kept in operation.

"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," said BT's Michael Smy.

"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," he added.

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