Across the United Kingdom, the humble public phone box is at the center of a heated debate about the future of urban spaces, technological progress, and the preservation of local character. Once a familiar sight on every British street corner, many of these kiosks now stand neglected, battered by time and vandalism, their role in daily life diminished by the rise of mobile phones. Yet, as calls grow for their replacement with sleek, multifunctional digital kiosks—known as BT Street Hubs—the pushback from communities and councils reveals a complex tug-of-war between modernization and heritage.
In Newport city centre, the issue is impossible to ignore. According to BBC News, local residents have voiced frustration over the "dirty" and "grubby" state of existing phone boxes, describing them as eyesores that greet visitors with a less-than-welcoming impression of the city. Michael Enea, a political blogger and campaigner, minced no words: "One phone box in Newport was covered in dirt, muck and moss," he said, calling it "absolutely appalling." The sentiment is echoed by Susan Priest, a jewellery shop owner whose business sits at the junction of Llanarth Street and John Frost Square. "It's terrible—and it needs replacing," she remarked. "I saw it the other day and thought it looked like a right state. It's like a sore thumb."
The solution, say campaigners, lies in the installation of BT Street Hubs. These modern kiosks offer free ultra-fast Wi-Fi, UK phone calls, phone charging points, and 75-inch display screens. Already present in high-traffic areas of Cardiff, Swansea, and parts of Newport, the Street Hubs are seen as a way to revitalize city centers and provide practical, up-to-date services for the public. Michael Enea believes this could be a catalyst for broader improvements, stating, "We need radical improvements. We've got to really freshen up the city centre."
However, responsibility for the maintenance and replacement of the phone boxes remains a sticking point. Newport City Council, which oversees public spaces, insists it has "no powers" to remove the phone boxes, despite having previously complained to BT about their deteriorating condition. A council spokesperson told BBC News, "Phone boxes and street hubs are the responsibility of BT to maintain and look after. The council has no powers to remove phone boxes, and is not responsible for their maintenance."
BT, for its part, acknowledges the challenges. The company says its payphones are "often the targets of anti-social behaviour and vandalism," and urges the public to report any issues. A BT spokesperson assured that an engineer would be dispatched to clean and repair the most problematic kiosks, adding, "Phone boxes are cleaned every time they're visited by one of our engineers." Despite this, the pace of transformation remains a point of contention, with calls for more decisive action to bring Newport’s street furniture into the 21st century.
Elsewhere, the rollout of BT Street Hubs has not been universally welcomed. The picturesque Yorkshire town of Ilkley offers a case in point. In September 2025, BT submitted plans to replace a phone box at the west end of The Grove with a Street Hub. The proposal, which would have brought Wi-Fi, free phone calls, and digital advertising screens to the heart of the town, was met with stiff opposition. Ilkley Town Council and local residents voiced concerns about the impact on the town’s conservation area and historic environment.
Bradford Council planners ultimately refused the application on December 4, 2025. Their report, as detailed by local news outlets, concluded that the Street Hub would be approximately 0.8 metres taller than the existing phone box and feature two illuminated digital displays. Planners argued this would "represent an incongruous and strident feature, that would harm the character and appearance of the street scene and wider Ilkley Conservation Area, which is not outweighed by public benefits." The council also cited potential risks to highway and pedestrian safety, suggesting the illuminated screens could distract drivers in a busy pedestrian area.
The refusal was not an isolated incident. A similar application to remove a phone kiosk and install a BT Street Hub outside 40-42, The Grove, was also turned down by Bradford Council on December 5, 2025. This time, eight formal objections were lodged, including one from an Ilkley ward councillor. Concerns ranged from the loss of the town’s only public phone box and the impact on residential amenity, to fears that the scheme was primarily an advertising revenue generator. The council’s planning officers noted, "The proposal introduces visual clutter and obstruction, conflicting with the character of the area... The proposed Street Hub cannot be considered a like-for-like replacement, as it is taller and includes two illuminated digital panels."
While Ilkley’s resistance highlights the importance many communities place on local heritage and the unique character of their streetscapes, other towns are embracing the digital future. In Newquay, Cornwall, the planned rollout of BT Street Hubs is moving ahead at pace. BT has submitted planning applications to replace outdated public payphones with modern hubs at several locations, including outside the post office on East Street and at Cliff Road, where four payphones are set to be removed. The hubs promise not just connectivity—offering free ultrafast Wi-Fi, emergency service access, rapid device charging, and 4G/5G boosting—but also environmental benefits.
According to a statement from Mitle Telcoms, representing BT, the Street Hubs align with the UK Government’s infrastructure strategy and green initiatives. The kiosks can house sensors to monitor pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicle movements, as well as air, sound, and light quality. "This free information will help the planning system actively manage patterns of growth in support of national air quality objectives and the Government’s ten-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution," the company explained. Notably, the deployment and maintenance of the hubs is fully funded by advertising revenue, at no cost to taxpayers or local authorities, thanks to a partnership with media group Global.
Newquay’s embrace of digital kiosks is part of a broader trend. The Urban Innovation Company has also received planning permission to install 12 Pulse Smart Hubs at various locations throughout the town, further boosting the region’s digital infrastructure and supporting the creation of "smart cities." As BT puts it, "Street Hubs will help future-proof the high street, making them smarter, safer, and more sustainable."
Yet, the debate shows no signs of abating. For every city eager to leap into the digital age, there is a town determined to defend its architectural heritage and community identity. The fate of Britain’s phone boxes—and the shape of its future streets—will likely hinge on finding a delicate balance between innovation and preservation, one planning application at a time.
