I went for a long walk in the countryside with my BF a few weeks ago and came across this marvellous surprise in a tiny Cornish hamlet – an out-of-use phone box now being used as a book exchange. It was fully stocked and seemed to have a very diverse choice of reading material. Apparently they are popping up all over the place, but I had never seen one before. It made me wonder what other uses you could put old phone boxes to.

Libraries are also popping up in pubs in the UK at quite a rate. In Cornwall alone there seem to be at least a dozen of them, partly a result of the County Council’s cuts to its mobile library service. One pub, The Grenville Arms in Nanpean, incorporates a library, sub post office and shop which sells local produce.  What are the benefits? They offer a well needed service for the local community whilst cutting down on food miles; they create full and part-time employment for local people; they sell local produce which in turn helps local suppliers and they promote health and well-being in the area through the venue becoming a community meeting point.

There is a not-for-profit organisation for the UK called Pub Is The Hub http://www.pubisthehub.org.uk/  which works to promote this idea. I love it. What do you think?

Annie Bee x

More pictures you might like: https://uk.pinterest.com/buzzanniebee/phone-boxes/