Preston’s iconic row of red phone boxes will remain out of sight for the foreseeable future.
Nine booths were removed from Market Street in December 2024 for refurbishment, with an original return planned for spring. Eight of the Grade II-listed cubicles, arranged in pairs, formed the longest line of traditional call boxes in the country, while the ninth stood slightly apart.
Preston City Council has confirmed the phone boxes will stay in storage to protect them from ongoing streetworks and to ensure they are fully ready for public display when reinstated. The council acquired the booths in 2021 amid concerns over their condition and had planned to transform them into audio-visual and art displays.
Disconnected by BT more than ten years ago, the booths could see the addition of data cabling, allowing for a wider range of art installations. A council spokesman noted that nearby renovation projects, including work at Amounderness House and upgrades to the Market Street public realm under the “Illuminate and Integrate” scheme, along with the planned Friargate South overhaul, made an immediate return impractical.
The council added that returning the empty booths during streetworks could attract anti-social behaviour, further justifying their continued storage. The kiosks were sent to East Yorkshire for an £80,000 restoration, returning them to their vibrant red colour.
Six of the phone boxes carry the crowns of George V and George VI, indicating they date back to before 1953.
