October 1, 2020 2.50 pm This story is over 41 months old

A little bit of Lincolnshire in twinned German town

Cleethorpes phone boxes put to good use in Germany
The Lincolnshire phone box is found in the market town of Königswinter. | Photo: NELC
By Local Democracy Reporter

A German town twinned with Cleethorpes has turned Lincolnshire’s donated phone boxes into mini libraries.

North East Lincolnshire Council gave the phone boxes to Königswinter in 1980 to honour the relationship between the two towns.

The classic red boxes were used, naturally, for phone calls, but the increasing use of mobile phones made public phone boxes surplus to requirements.

But the town of Königswinter found a new purpose for its Lincolnshire donation, transforming them into tiny libraries.

Residents can now swap a book from the newly-built shelves and leave one of their own.

Take one, leave one policy for the mini library. | Photo: NELC

The first of three phone boxes from Cleethorpes became a public bookcase in 2014, one which stands in the market place within view of the Rhine river.

Two more eventually followed suit, and they are now open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, monitored and looked after by local volunteers.

Königswinter’s Mayor Peter Wirtz said: “These three red beacons will always be a sign of friendship between Cleethorpes and Königswinter.”

The Worshipful Mayor of the Borough of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Terry Walker, said: “This is a brilliant idea and I’m thrilled that a little bit of North East Lincolnshire sits in the town of Königswinter.

“It’s great that these phone boxes have been put to such good use for everyone to enjoy and get lost in a book.”