The Phoney War

Every so often BT decide to close a number of their 'seldom used' (BT speak) rural public phone boxes and as regularly local people protest-and more often than not the box remains open. The latest proposal by BT is to close 40 of them representing, says the Berwickshire, 25% of all public phones in 'the region'. Usual arguments apply-not every one has a mobile-not everyone can anyhow always get a mobile signal-as in the Old Manse kitchen unless you are on 02.

Hutton does not appear to be on the present closure list. We had our lovely old Red Box taken away some years ago and replaced with a modern cabin (see image). It used to be -e-mail enabled but this never caught on and the enable has been removed. Being ad hoc and ad hominem as my classics master used to say it takes no coins-a nice touch for the careful Border Scots-irritating if you have no credit card and don't want just to make an emergency call; but I doubt if this is much of a real irritant for the Huttonian Body Politic. In 10 years I have seen it only used once, by White Van Man, no doubt asking for fresh instructions for the New Manse, The Manse, The Old Manse, Antrim House etc etc ad nauseam

Burnmouth-or to be more precise, Lower Burnmouth is up in arms as their old fangled Red box is for the chop. 'Phone Box is vital service at working harbour' screams the Berwickshire page 13 headline.

'Hullo! Hullo/ Is thash( hic) Fifesh (hic) Taxis? Shend a a cccab plish(hic) to Lower Burnmouth ....I am too smashed (sic) to walk back to me boat..AUuuarggh (sick) '

Good point.

Labels: Borders Phone boxes, BT, Burnmouth, vomit

  ¶ 10:04 AM