Have you ever dreamed of owning a classic British red telephone box? Now may be your chance. You even get two, but they’ve already decided where they’re living.
A pair of former BT telephone kiosks has gone on sale in Canterbury with a guide price of £14,000. The boxes are located on North Lane beside the Westgate Towers Museum & Viewpoint and directly opposite The West Gate Inn, a JD Wetherspoon, placing them in one of the city’s busiest pedestrian areas.
Both kiosks are Grade II listed and sit within a conservation area, meaning they are legally protected and must remain exactly where they are. This is not a case of buying a novelty item to relocate. The sale includes the freehold, but ownership applies only to the boxes in their current position on the pavement.
The phone boxes are currently fitted out with Union Jack livery across the windows, giving them the appearance of a patriotic street installation rather than disused telecoms infrastructure. They already attract steady attention from passers by, many of whom assume they are part of the permanent streetscape.
Any future changes or alternative uses would require planning permission and listed building consent. Despite that, the listing outlines a surprisingly broad range of potential uses, subject to approval. These include advertising, a coffee shop, ice cream sales, a library, a florist, a vending machine, storage, a miniature art gallery or even a defibrillator point. All would have to work within a space roughly the size of a fridge.
The property is being sold by public auction on 19 February at 12:00.
The unusual listing has prompted plenty of online reaction. Some commenters pointed out that the location alone makes the idea more viable than it might first appear.
“To be fair they are in a brilliant spot. Of selling coffee or walking tours it’s a great spot to start from,” one person wrote.
Others focused on affordability. “Probably the only property I could afford in Canterbury,” said one commenter, while another added: “This is a bargain. The one in Guildford yesterday was £7500. Here you get twice the square footage for less than double the price.”
Whether they end up as a tiny business venture, a public amenity or simply remain two well photographed red boxes on a historic street, the kiosks offer a very particular kind of property opportunity.
Just don’t expect to take them with you.