Fans of 80s pop band OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) are campaigning to bring back a red phone box in Meols, made famous by one of the local band’s songs.
Late last week the red phone box (photo above, taken by me in 2008) in Greenwood Road, Meols was removed (photo right by Andy Barrett) and now fans of OMD want Wirral Council to organise it’s prompt return. The public phone was the subject of the band’s song Red Frame, White Light and the lyrics included the phone’s number 632 3003. Apparently the phone received incoming calls from around the world (I’ve just dialled the number – it’s not connected).
BT in conjunction with Wirral Council have removed the phone box due to very low levels of use. It’s not the only one in the area either. Back in November I mentioned that the kiosk opposite Sandringham Avenue was pencilled-in for removal. That’s gone too.
By the way, I haven’t checked if the phone box at the bottom of Trinity Road is still there?
Many locals strongly feel that the Meols kiosk had cultural value and shouldn’t have been removed. Efforts are now underway to bring it back. My understanding is that a Friends of the Phonebox charity is being formed and an online petition is now available to request Wirral Council to bring it back. I don’t know if anyone has requested that BT do not reallocate the phone number in the meantime.
So, what do you think? Should the OMD phone box be brought back? Does it have cultural value? How about the other one by the petrol station? Is it too late? Have your say in the comments!
That box is part of the history of Meols. People the world over came to see that box or call it. For goodness sake BT have some common sense…this isnt just a phone box…its history.
Part of the history of all who grew uo there.what a shame.
**ATTENTION ALL**
As part of the ongoing activity to #save6323003 I am setting up a ‘Friends’ group with Andy Barrett in the Meols/Hoylake area. The aim of the group will be to agree a plan of action to get the phone box back including looking into grant funding available to secure it, reinstall it and maintain it as a long-term cultural landmark in the Wirral area.
There will be a meeting held at Melrose Hall, 6 Melrose Avenue, Hoylake, Wirral, CH47 3BU on Wednesday 30th August at 8.15pm (that’s the time from a very well known OMD song!).
All are welcome.
Your support will be invaluable for this group so please get involved if you can.
Thank you.
Steph McCahill
My wife & I passed this on the Tuesday before it was removed on the Friday and we thought what a disgrace it was leaning over, unpainted & filthy and looked like it had had it’s day. If it was such an icon, visited by tourists from abroad how come nobody had thought it give it a coat of paint & clean it ?
Yes bring it back.Ã lso the one opposite Sandringham ave
Definitely bring it back – give the community a chance to adopt and maintain it
Cultural vandalism removing it. Bring back the OMD phone box.
FaceBook :-
https://www.facebook.com/RedFrameWhiteLight/
Twitter :-
https://twitter.com/save6323003
Lets get our PhoneBox Reinstated…. ASAP
do the council realise the potential of keeping this box for culture of Wirral..
its obvious they have not thought of its value in music history and ignorance of what it means for the future of people visiting Wirral and importance .
most properly the council never heard of OMD..how naive
KEEP THE BOX
it could be put on Wirral s list of music Heritage
news update
the phone box is set to be reinstated