Preston City Council 'rings' the changes for iconic red telephone boxes

Preston's nine Grade two-listed red telephone boxes are set for an historic face-lift as the project to restore them dials up.

On Thursday 12 December, telephone box restoration specialists L Carr Contractors have removed the iconic kiosks for sandblasting and restoration to their original condition.

Once the restoration is complete, the boxes will be returned to their location outside the former post office on Market Street for the spring of 2025.

After the kiosks are removed, work will take place beneath the pavement to install new digital infrastructure that will home the new enhanced telephone boxes.

Originally designed by British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V's Coronation in 1935, the cast iron kiosks with timber doors form the longest line of historic red telephone boxes in the UK.

Preston City Council acquired the telephone boxes in 2021 and obtained Listed Building Consent (LBC) for their restoration.

Potential future uses of the kiosks include creative installations in partnership with artists to add to the vibrancy of the Harris Quarter in Preston.

The restoration project forms a key part of the wider Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, awarded £20.9m from the government's then-national Towns Fund initiative in March 2021.

Liam Carr, director of East Yorkshire-based L Carr Contractors, said:

"The award of this prestigious contract allows us to revitalise these historic telephone boxes and enhance community pride and local tourism, ensuring that the charm and nostalgia associated with such iconic traditional red boxes endure in an increasingly digital age."

Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building on Preston City Council, said:

"Preston celebrates being the home of the UK's longest line of iconic red telephone boxes, a landmark in the centre of our city that we'll bring back to life for current and future generations to enjoy.

"Once the restoration is complete and the kiosks are returned to their home on Market Street, we will work with artists to commission light, audio visual or graphic work to bring them alive, adding to the vibrancy of the Harris Quarter."

Chair of Preston's Towns Fund Strategic Board, John Chesworth, added: 

"The long-awaited and much-anticipated restoration of these historic telephone boxes would be an outstanding addition to the Harris Quarter. They represent an invaluable and unique city asset, and bringing them back into use will provide a popular focal point for many people."

As the designer of the kiosks, Sir Giles has a strong historical connection with Preston. He also designed the War Memorial Cenotaph in Market Place, and his father, George Gilbert Scott, designed the Town Hall.

Harris Quarter is a unique area of Preston undergoing a £200m investment programme to transform its historic buildings, sites, and public realm into a diverse culture, leisure, and employment offering. Schemes include the £45m Animate cinema and leisure complex and the refurbishment of the Grade I-listed Harris Museum, art gallery, and library.