You might recall that plans were announced more than three years ago to remove the village's only public telephone box outside the Mechanics. BT consulted about it and there were no objections. There was some discussion at the time about ideas for alternative uses including a community book exchange but nothing came of this. So why is the box still there?

'Bishop Monkton Today' asked BT for an explanation and the headline news is that they are planning to remove it later this year after a fresh period of consultation because the previous permissions have elapsed since the original consultation.

BT also told us that the reason they didn't remove it back then was because they had the idea of converting kiosks into electric vehicle charging points so the kiosk was then taken off the removal list. However, they never moved forward with the EV idea so it is their intention now to consult with NYC Planning Department again about removing it later this year.

However, it was also the case that the communications regulator, OFCOM, changed its rules about the removal of public phone boxes in 2022. Under Ofcom’s new criteria, phone boxes cannot be removed where:-

• they are in a place without coverage from all four mobile network providers; or
• they are located in an area with a high frequency of accidents or suicides; or
• 52 or more calls have been made from them over the past 12 months; or
• there is other evidence that a phone box is reasonably needed at a site – for example, where it is being used to make calls to helplines such as Childline.

BT say that the OFCOM rule changes were not the reason for them dropping the original plan to remove it.

One other thing of note is that the type of phone box in BM (i.e. not the old style red box) can only be adopted for a defibrillator and not be used for a bookstore, although apparently there are examples where a defib has been installed to the outside with the inside space used for books.

Perhaps the single most fascinating thing that BT told us about our phone box, which is still working, was that only one call has been made from it in the last twelve months! Who made that call? Maybe it was you!

Tell us what you think? Should the phone box be kept or should it go? Email us with your view.