INVERESK Community Council has given its unanimous backing to moves by residents of Little Brechin who have put together a petition to stave off the removal of the community's telephone box by British Telecom.
The "Brechin Advertiser" recently reported on a number of rural phone boxes that were under threat throughout the local area and members of Inveresk discussed the pros and cons of a number of the boxes at their meeting in Glen Lethnot on Monday eveni
ng.
The box at Little Brechin is one that BT have earmarked for removal, albeit with a very short period of consultation which reaches a conclusion at the end of this month, but local residents have vowed to put up a fight for something they feel is a desperately need local commodity and a petition has been placed on the community notice board, which needs much more support.
A spokeswoman for the group said: "We feel BT's decision is a short sighted one, there is not a great reception for mobile phones in this area and losing the phone box we see a vital resource lost once and for all.
"We aim to fight this move all the way and we hope the people of this area will back us."
The group opposing the removal of the phone box, have also erected a sign on the phone box itself, to draw attention to the fact that it's under threat.
A decision on whether or not to support the retention of a phone box at Careston was deferred as there was no local representative present. However, Angus Council Leader Bob Myles added; "I don't wish to speak out of turn, but this must be one of those which is also under threat. I also think it would make more sense to see BT having the more traditional coin boxes rather than phone card ones, which seem to be the norm now."
Councillor Myles' view on phone cards was supported by Agnes Lowden of Glenesk, another area whose phone box is on the "at risk" list. She said: "The mobile phone reception up Glenesk is non existent and I also think the phone box up there is a vital emergency resource, especially for the many walkers whom we have in the area. None of them are likely to come of the hills with a phone card and I also think it makes more sense to have coin boxes in these areas."
The community council also gave their support to the retention of phone boxes at Balhall Crescent in Menmuir, although there was some surprise that the Stracathro phone box wasn't mentioned on the list. It was, however, pointed out that this facility was generally in a poor state at present. with no phone inside the actual phone box.
Plans by BT to remove the phone box at Tiggerton were not opposed by members, as it was felt the other areas affected were either more greatly populated or in more need of a phone box.
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