Vandals breaking up Preston’s iconic red telephone boxes
The authority bought the kiosks 12 months ago with plans to put them to"creative use" this year as part of a raft of pop-up projects being delivered in the Harris Quarter, using £1m of advance cash awarded as part of the city's allocation from the government's Towns Fund. But while some of the other projects - like the Wallace and Gromit statue in front of the Market Hall - have long since been completed, the phone boxes are still waiting for their revamp.
A city council spokesperson said in December that the authority was “highly conscious of the fact that Preston has the longest line of historic red telephone boxes in the UK. They are a fabulous landmark that we are very proud to celebrate. We are currently seeking to secure sufficient resources to enable a full restoration of the phone boxes and hope to undertake the necessary works in 2023.”
Some of the boxes still bear signs of previous attempts – before the council acquired them – to rent them out as “retail opportunities”, including for suggested ventures like food stalls. It is 96 years since the first red phone boxes were installed in London.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Preston Bus shake-ups - check here for which services are being scrapped or revisedCheck your journey as Preston Bus make major changes to routes and timetables from Monday
Read more »
Police investigate owner of Pitbull for manslaughter after it kills 67-year-old Preston grandmotherThe owner of a stray pitbull which killed a grandmother from Preston is being investigated on suspicion of manslaughter.
Read more »
Police arrest a man after a kitchen sink and tap are stolen from a Preston homePreston Police say they have arrested a man after a kitchen sink and a tap were stolen from a property in Preston this morning.
Read more »
Aldi to open long-awaited new Preston store as part of wider suburban shopping centreA long-planned Aldi store and district centre in suburban Preston is finally set to get off the drawing board after a row over road access was resolved.
Read more »