Thursday, June 06, 2019

LAST CALL TO USE BRIGG PHONE BOX BEFORE IT'S REMOVED

This Brigg town centre public telephone call box is facing removal - June 2019 - do to little use

It looks highly likely that Brigg is to lose another of its public phone boxes.
The one now under threat, pictured above, is on the corner of Springs Parade and the Market Place.
BT Payphones says: "A detailed survey has shown that this kiosk is not being used sufficiently to continue the service at this location.
"We are therefore proposing to remove this payphone."
So it's just a matter of time before they will be coming to take it away.
There's another not far away in the Market Place, close to the former NatWest Bank building.
However, this kiosk, pictured below, has protected status, having been grade two listed since June 1989.
It's of the K6 cast iron type, designed in 1935 by the famous Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.
So any future attempts to remove it will require council permission.
It's obvious to all that widespread use of 'mobiles' in recent years means that far fewer folk now rely on public call boxes.
Brigg has lost quite a few of them in the past decade or two.
We think the one on Springs Parade probably dates from the 1980s when this arcade of shops was completed.
Keeping phone boxes clean and repairing any damage must cost BT much more than they collect in coins.
So we can't make a realistic argument for this one to be retained.
Even if someone without a charged and functioning mobile phone spotted a crime in progress, or a fire, and wanted to ring 999 they would only have to walk 100 yards to use the one in the Market Place.
When Springs Parade's has been removed, Brigg town centre will be left with two call boxes - on Bigby Street and in the Market Place.




Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the grade two listed phone box in Brigg Market Place - June 2019


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