BT wants to hang up on two phone boxes in rural Dorset

Just a single call was made from one of them in the last 12 months

Author: Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter Published 3rd Sep 2023

BT is seeking to remove two rural Dorset payphone boxes.

The telecoms giant has notified Dorset Council of its intention to remove the boxes near the former Bull Inn, Dorchester Road, Stratton and at Hoggs Hill, Clay Lane, Beaminster.

Only eight calls have been made during the past 12 months at the Stratton call box and just one from the Clay Lane box.

BT says that for both boxes mobile phone coverage from four main providers is rated as “good”.

A public consultation period on both boxes will last until November 28th.

Under a BT scheme communities can “adopt” phone boxes which are due to be removed if alternative uses can be found.

The scheme has resulted in a number of former phone boxes across the county being re-purposed for book and seed swops, offering free vegetables and fruit, or for community defibrillators.

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