Nine red telephone boxes will be fitted with LED screens, allowing them to display digital artwork across the city centre.
Preston City Council have submitted plans to install the LED screens in the Grade II listed phone boxes on Market Street.
Image credit: Studio John Bridge
The red telephone boxes, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1932 to celebrate King George V’s Silver Jubilee, are the longest unbroken line of their kind in the UK.
The council have commissioned digital specialist ADI to deliver the new project, in partnership with architect Studio John Bridge. The phone boxes will feature seasonal themes and digital artwork that has been created by local artists in the city.
John Chesworth, chair of the Towns Fund Board, said: ‘The telephone boxes are an iconic piece of Preston’s history and have been missed whilst they have been getting their makeover. We’re looking forward to our landmark boxes coming back to life on site later in the year for future generations to enjoy.’
Alongside looking nice, ADI said its MT Series software – which will be used to run the LED screens – is designed to be energy efficient and long-lasting.
Councillor Anna Hindle, cabinet member for arts and culture, added: ‘The refurbished telephone boxes will create a real digital spectacle that you won’t want to miss, aiming to create that new Instagram-able moment in the heart of Preston’s historic Harris Quarter.’
The phone boxes, situated outside the former post office building on Market Street, were acquired by the council in 2021 and in December 2023 an application was submitted for listed Building Consent to allow their refurbishment.
A mock-up of the different phone boxes by Studio John Bridge
This project is part of the Harris Quarter Towns Fund Investment Programme, which received £20.9m from the government’s national Towns Fund scheme in March 2021.
While plans have been submitted by the local authority, details of the installation date are yet to be announced.
Images: Ilinca Roman/UnSplash
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