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Why Britain's turning phone boxes into offices
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - 01:31
Britain's red telephone boxes may no longer be used for their original purpose in an age of smartphones but one company is giving the famous booths a makeover -- as small offices. Reuters Emily Wither had a look inside
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They're as iconic as Big Ben and black cabs but these days they're mostly used by tourists. Red phone boxes are in decline - attempts to save them have seen some turned in to libraries, coffee shops and now offices. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REUTERS REPORTER, EMILY WITHER SAYING: "The company podworks are converting hundreds of phoneboxes in to the country's smallest offices. Hoping to lure those who usually sit in coffee bars, into revamped booths." Not for the claustrophobic. They'll be dotted across the UK for busy people on the go, who sign up to use the service for a monthly fee. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PODWORKS, LORNA MOORE SAYING: "Inside the pod we have a scanner, we have a colour printer, we also have a voip phone where you can make free local national mobile calls, we have a universal supply of sockets, and a desk that you can work from." The idea is by making this national treasure useful again, they'll stop disappearing from street corners. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PODWORKS, LORNA MOORE SAYING: "In the 1980's we had over 78 thousand red telephone boxes around the UK and now we're down to less than 7 and half thousand so we thought it was a good idea to repurpose these and take them in to the 21st century." Once again these little booths will be used for phone calls and not just photo ops.
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Why Britain's turning phone boxes into offices
Wednesday, September 21, 2016 - 01:31
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