Restoration plans for Preston's historic red phone boxes

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Prestons historic phone boxes to get a spruce up Credit: X: claire_journo

Preston's iconic red phone boxes in the city centre are set for a spruce up.

The row of nine cast iron kiosks is the longest line of historic red phone boxes in the UK.

They were designed by British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Coronation of King George V in 1935 and are Grade Two listed.

Over the years they have been vandalised and fallen into a state of disrepair, but now Preston City Council is bidding to fully restore them thanks to money from the Towns Fund and Council, and has asked for Listed Building Consent.

In 2015, these signs appeared in the phone boxes as they fell into disrepair Credit: X: claire_journo

Councillor Peter Kelly, Cabinet Member for Culture at Preston City Council, said: "We are proud to celebrate Preston being the home of the UK's longest line of historic red telephone boxes, an outstanding landmark in the heart of our city that we are committed to bringing back to life for this, and future generations to enjoy. "If we are successful in our application for Listed Building Consent, we plan to undertake the necessary restoration works in 2024 to enable the iconic telephone boxes to be animated with dynamic and creative installations.

"We plan to work with local artists to commission contemporary light, audio visual or graphic works to bring the telephone boxes alive, create a ‘must see’ and add to the vibrancy of the Harris Quarter."

The nine phone boxes are in Preston city centre Credit: X: @claire_journo

A decision on whether Listed Building Consent is granted is expected by March 2024. If it gets the green light, the City Council intends to fully restore the boxes in 2024 while considering potential future uses.

The restoration will see the nine phone boxes removed from the city centre and replaced when completed.

As designer of the boxes, Sir Giles had a strong historic connection with Preston – he also designed the War Memorial Cenotaph in Market Place and his father George Gilbert Scott designed the Town Hall.