Pulling the Plug

When was the last time you used a public telephone?

Thought so. So far back you can't remember. Probably more than five years ago, at the time mobile telephony became pretty much universal.

BT's plans to pull the plug on boxes in nine villages near Rhuthun shouldn't therefore come as too much of a blow.

But, there's always the dreaded emergency or breakdown. Yet in 999 situations, since mobiles will automatically search for an alternative network in the event of poor coverage, there's little to worry about. Once upon a time, landlines would fail but they simply don't now. If it does, there's always a neighbour. If you haven't any neighbours it's unlikely you have a nearby phonebox, either.

By closing each rural phonebox, BT saves £1,000 per annum. That's £9,000 per annum around Rhuthun alone. If this helps keep down the higher-than-inflation rise in landline rentals, fine. Phoneboxes can probably go the way of rural milk deliveries, the village water pump and 405 lines TV as unnecessary in the modern age. Or am I just being hard?

The villages near Rhuthun affected are Betws Gwerfil Goch, Bryneglwys, Bontuchel, Clocaenog, Clawddnewydd, Cyffylliog, Graigfechan, Llanelidan and Pentrecelyn.