On this Day 1971: The payphone with no phone

OTD, December 20th, 1971…

John Swallow reported on the telephone box at Castlecroft Road in the Finchfield area of Wolverhampton that did not have a phone inside.

The box used to be outside a pub called the New Inn which was demolished in 1970 – a replacement boozer, the Chestnut Tree, had been built a little further down the road but it didn’t offer a public phone.

John talks to local people who are confused as to why the GPO (BT) still turn out every day to inspect and maintain the kiosk. As ATV Today are covering the story Swallow spots the GPO van parked outside the pub. He talks to the landlord who reveals that they have just visited to fit a coin operated phone into his pub. John tries to use it at the end of his report but gets his coin jammed.