Library in a telephone box - Hoveringham - Nottinghamshire
Hoveringham is a small village about 10 miles north east of Nottingham. I went there recently for an event organised by the marvellous Lowdham Book Festival (see previous blog).
Near the village hall stood a red phone box - nothing unusual about that, except that I'd been told it was actually a library - so this I had to see!
The history is that in 2002 there were 92,000 BT phone boxes on the streets of Britain. But times change, and as more and more people acquired, and relied on, mobile phones, the need for public phones fell out of fashion. During the last 20 years the company has stripped thousands of boxes from their locations, and presumably crushed them to death!
But for many towns and villages the phone box is part of the community's history - they are landmarks and an important part of the scenery and character of the village. People just didn't want an empty space were their red box had once stood.
So after a bit of an outcry BT launched a programmed called 'Adopt a kiosk' in 2009. This allowed local communities and parish councils to adopt decommissioned telephone boxes in their areas for as little as one pound, and then they could turn them into something else. What a brilliant idea!
Since 2009 over 1,500 have had their phones removed by BT, and, according to the web,they have been adopted and converted into art galleries, tea rooms (!), florists, grocery shops and lending libraries.
The one at Hoveringham certainly appeared to be unlocked, and although I couldn't see a sign, I think it worked on the principle of 'take a book out, replace it with another one', an idea I first came across whilst staying at Findhorn (see previous blog.)
BT now says: 'The most fantastic thing about the Adopt A Kiosk scheme has been how communities across the country have become involved. Red phone boxes have become a focal point for all sorts of activities of real value to the local community. It's so gratifying to see our old rarely used boxes given a new lease of life."
Recycling at it's best I'd say.
***Are you familiar with The Clumber Love Story? For my e-book just click here
Near the village hall stood a red phone box - nothing unusual about that, except that I'd been told it was actually a library - so this I had to see!The history is that in 2002 there were 92,000 BT phone boxes on the streets of Britain. But times change, and as more and more people acquired, and relied on, mobile phones, the need for public phones fell out of fashion. During the last 20 years the company has stripped thousands of boxes from their locations, and presumably crushed them to death!
But for many towns and villages the phone box is part of the community's history - they are landmarks and an important part of the scenery and character of the village. People just didn't want an empty space were their red box had once stood.
So after a bit of an outcry BT launched a programmed called 'Adopt a kiosk' in 2009. This allowed local communities and parish councils to adopt decommissioned telephone boxes in their areas for as little as one pound, and then they could turn them into something else. What a brilliant idea!Since 2009 over 1,500 have had their phones removed by BT, and, according to the web,they have been adopted and converted into art galleries, tea rooms (!), florists, grocery shops and lending libraries.
The one at Hoveringham certainly appeared to be unlocked, and although I couldn't see a sign, I think it worked on the principle of 'take a book out, replace it with another one', an idea I first came across whilst staying at Findhorn (see previous blog.)
BT now says: 'The most fantastic thing about the Adopt A Kiosk scheme has been how communities across the country have become involved. Red phone boxes have become a focal point for all sorts of activities of real value to the local community. It's so gratifying to see our old rarely used boxes given a new lease of life."
Recycling at it's best I'd say.
***Are you familiar with The Clumber Love Story? For my e-book just click here
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