Town council to meet with pub owner over phonebox request

The Town Council are set to meet with the owners of The Exchange and the Steam Mill to discuss future plans for a Grade II listed red phone box located at the junction of Back Lane, Broad Street, and Long Bridge.

The phone box, which dates back to 1942, was recently acquired by the town council as part of an agreement with BT, allowing local communities to repurpose these iconic structures. The kiosk, a classic K6 model designed by renowned London architect Giles Gilbert Scott, has been a fixture at its current location for over eight decades.

During tonight's Economy & Environment Committee meeting, town councillors reviewed a proposal from the owners of The Exchange and the Steam Mill, who expressed interest in relocating the phone box to their premises. The owners suggested converting the kiosk into a photobooth within their business.

The town council has been exploring potential new uses for the phone box, including relocating it to Broad Street to serve as a base for a defibrillator or as a tourist information point. However, any relocation would require both planning approval and special permission from CADW, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government.

Town Councillors Tracy Owen and Darryl Gwilt voiced strong support for keeping the phone box in its current location. Cllr Gwilt highlighted the substantial costs associated with moving the kiosk, which are estimated to be around £5,000. Cllr Owen expressed concerns about transferring the phone box to a private business, emphasising her preference for it to remain a public asset for the benefit of the town.

The Committee Chair, Cllr Richard Edward, proposed that town council officers meet with the business owners to gather more details on their proposal before making a final decision.

The committee agreed to revisit the issue in a future meeting after these discussions have taken place.