Beith calls BT over phone box "consultation"

11.30.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Jun 2009

Sir Alan Beith MP has taken up concerns about the future of Beadnell's BT phone box. A notice has been placed in the box on Harbour Road stating that a consultation on the removal of the box is underway and ends on 1 July, and that representations should be made to the Planning Department at Berwick Borough Council.

Alan Beith said

"Councillor Pat Scott and I have made enquiries and no-one seems to have been given any notice about this proposal. Because the notice says that the consultation ends very soon, I have emailed the Chief Executive of BT and asked him to look into this as a matter of urgency. I have had an acknowledgement and hope for a quick full reply.

"The telephone box is located in Harbour Road where mobile phone reception is very poor. The bay at Beadnell is heavily used for watersports, particularly divers and sailors. Given the lack of mobile phone reception I am very concerned that there should be a phone service, clearly visible to tourists and others, to ensure that the emergency services can be reached quickly when accidents happen."

Cllr Scott added

"I had heard nothing about this consultation and neither had the Parish Council or the Planning Department. I have also been in touch with BT making them aware of the importance of this phone box."