A London councillor has visited a number of iconic BT phone boxes in Soho to rate how disgusting they are – and what he found was shocking.
Westminster City councillor Patrick Lilley said the popular red huts were in “disgusting disrepair” and is on a crusade to see them restored.
During a walkabout with the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the councillor came across phone boxes filled with poo, sex paraphernalia, cigarette butts and empty bottles of beer and wine.
He said the payphones, which he claims are adored by tourists, are also a lifeline for people who’ve had their belongings stolen and need to be repaired.
He said: “People do need them. People need to use the phone in emergencies. After all, how are you going to call the police if your phone has been stolen?”
BT has said its maintenance teams regularly monitor and maintain a number of payphones in Soho and was meeting with Westminster City officials this week.
They said they are committed to working with police and local authorities to tackle criminal use of its payphone and urges anyone who witnesses such activity to call police.
According to Cllr Lilley, these icons of a bygone area are being turned into hubs for anti-social behaviour with rough sleepers using them as their own personal toilet or sleeping in them.
He claimed they had also become a haven for drug users and dealers.
He also claimed they had become cash-cow for thieves, are known to paint the glass panes and steal coins from the machines inside.
The councillor rated some of the thirteen BT boxes he claimed are in the Soho area out of ten – with zero being the worst.
This is what he gave them:
On Wardour Street behind St Anne’s Church
The stench of this phone box can be picked up a mile away thanks to a dried up patch of urine lingers on one of its external panels.
Cllr Lilley said the phone line worked well and that it was not one of the ‘scarier’ boxes around.
He said: “It wasn’t stinky inside and I don’t feel like I’ve got to leave it quickly, so not the worst.”
He earlier suggested the payphones were not being regularly cleaned by BT.
Photo by MyLondon – Facundo Arrizabalaga
He said: “In effect, you have to phone up and then someone will clean them. Some of them haven’t been cleaned in such a long time that urine can seep into the concrete and the only resolution is to get rid of the concrete.”
“It’s rather sad that such iconic structures are being abused and, even worse, they are being used for drug taking.”
This phone box showed signs of being broken into.
Cllr Lilley explained a number of boxes had been locked up because they had become unusable. He said that didn’t stop people breaking into them and using them.
He said: “We absolutely want to keep as many in as good condition as possible.
“Sealing them doesn’t protect them because people break in and use them.
“Sealing them isn’t the solution people think it might be.”
This phone box got a rating of 5/10.
On Shaftesbury Street near Dean Street
This payphone had a half-empty bottle of red wine inside but seemed in decent condition and had a working phone line.
We’re called over by a cleaner as we leave who points to a bit of painted graffiti and tells us “this is unremovable [sic]”.
4/10
On Great Windmill Street
Our journey took a sinister turn when we inspected three BT boxes on Great Windmill Street.
The first had human faeces smeared on what looked like kitchen roll left on the floor.
Photo MyLondon – Facundo
There were cigarette butts and an almighty smell of faeces.
The others were filled with graffiti or had half-eaten bits of food and empty beer cans inside.
0/10
On Brewer Street junction with Bridge Lane
This phone box on busy Brewer Street was clean on the outside and appeared to have been given a new lick of glossy red paint.
However, this box has been sealed shut with a screw and couldn’t be opened. As a result, it wasn’t given a rating.
On the corner of Moor Street, outside the Palace Theatre
This phone box was filled with ripped-up leaflets.
The leaflets showed images of strippers and their contact details.
It was in a relatively clean condition and had a working phone line.
3/10
On Charing Cross Road opposite the Phoenix Theatre
This phone box was in desperate need of a repaint and was filled with graffiti.
However, it had a working phone line.
“It’s ugly but it’s clean and functioning,” Cllr Lilley said.
4/10
On Dean Street, opposite Make Mine café
Cllr Lilley noticed an “odour-rama” as he approached this BT box on busy Dean Street.
It was found to be clean and well-maintained inside and had a working phone line.
6/10
As the tour drew to an end, the councillor made it clear he was determined to see these boxes maintained a lot better going forward.
Cllr Lilley questioned BT’s cleaning routine for the boxes and at one stage believes the telecoms giant had a “default” policy of waiting for customers to complain before carrying out repairs.
He said: “They only clean them in response to our engagement to clean them. Their default is not to clean them until someone tells them about it.”
He has met with the Metropolitan Police, representatives of the Soho Society and BT to get the job done while the council has requested BT remove four of its boxes in Soho.
A BT spokesperson said the company constantly reviews its payphones and removes any that are not being used, in line with Ofcom’s latest guidance.
They said: “We encourage people to report damage they see to our payphones or those in need of a clean.
“We’re grateful to the councillor for bringing this to our attention. Our maintenance teams have already checked and carried out work on a number of the payphones in question and a meeting has been arranged between BT and council officials later this week to discuss these matters further.
“We would urge anyone who witnesses criminal activity to report it to the police.
“And while crime and anti-social behaviour are police matters, we remain committed to working closely with the authorities and local communities to help where we can.”
The Met Police were approached for comment but said they were “extremely busy” and was unable to provide one.
