Vibrant villages

ONCE a proud symbol of Britain, the traditional red telephone box has become a victim of the technological advances of the modern age. They may invariably have never worked, but they were a reassuring presence in an era, not so long ago, when the mobile phone was still a mere concept.

By The Newsroom

Published 17th Sep 2010, 23:09 BST

Updated 17th Sep 2010, 23:10 BST

The issue now is that the kiosks are no longer cost-effective, with people so dependent on their mobile phone in an emergency. While many villages believe that these boxes add to the aesthetic appeal of their parish, they are, in many respects, a relic of the past.

So it is welcome that villagers are becoming increasingly ingenious as they put these kiosks to new uses as shops, galleries and such like. Now the parish of Marton cum Grafton plans to turn its phone box into a library – another vital service in rural Yorkshire that has been gradually in decline.

We wish these villages well. For, as well as revealing their trusting character and relying upon the honesty of users, they show that rural communities can indeed embrace the changes being rung in by David Cameron's "big society" if they have sufficient foresight and enthusiasm.