The call box has been put up on the market for an eye-watering starting price of £15k or about $20K- but the owner could never move it.
The historic listed ‘K6’ box was installed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V in 1935.
It sits outside a covered market in Oxford – and measures just three square feet.
The call box has been put up on the market for an eye-watering starting price of £15k or about $20K – but the owner could never move it.
BT put thousands of kiosks up for adoption or just £1 or $ 1.38 in 2019 – with many turned into libraries and quirky art spaces.
But the Oxford box is set to make a premium as an iconic piece of British heritage located in such a prominent location.
It makes it one of the expensive phone boxes to be sold off.
Mat Harris, Director at BidX1, which is managing the sale, said: “This is a rare opportunity to acquire an iconic piece of British heritage, with potential for multiple alternative uses.
“Historic England is seeking to preserve these much-loved red kiosks, and buyers throughout England have transformed them into coffee shops, mini-libraries, bakeries, and even defibrillators.”
“In Cheltenham, ten red phone boxes have been transformed into miniature art galleries, showcasing the work of local artists.”
The auctioneers have noted that although the purchaser will own the asset and can re-sell it at any time.
But the phone box is a listed heritage site and so cannot be removed, nor can the exterior be altered.
They were originally designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also designed Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, Battersea Power Station and Bankside Power Station now known as Tate Modern.
The online auction will take place on Tuesday, April 27.
