MADAM,

Monmouth Civic Society is disappointed a town council committee voted last week against BT reconnecting the classic phone box outside the Shire Hall and instead for the council to acquire it for a totally unknown purpose.

Undeterred, Civic Society members agreed last week to keep fighting to save the kiosk as a working phone box. The society will try to raise money to have it reconnected.

The Civic Society believes a working phone box in Agincourt Square would be an asset to the town – much more so than the 1960s box near Monnow Bridge, which BT is planning to retain instead of the one in the Square.

It was suggested that it could even become a tourist attraction – a working telephone box is increasingly rare (although records show 33,000 calls were made from public call boxes last year: not everyone has a mobile on them).

It was also argued that the design of the 1960s box at Monnow Bridge is a favourite with criminals because the adverts covering them hide people dealing in drugs.

Let’s not rush this decision. It may take time to get the necessary permissions to reconnect the box. Meanwhile we urge the town council to hold its horses.

Charles Boase

(Chairman, Monmouth Civic Society)