Britain's iconic red phone booths find their second calling

Washington

EVEN the most British of icons are constantly evolving. BMW redesigned the Mini; the classic double-decker bus fell out of favour, then came back into fashion; the black London taxi will soon go electric. With the mobile phone effectively wiping out everyday use of public telephone booths, what will become of the beloved scarlet-red kiosks that once dotted the nation?

Anything and everything, it seems, from an honour-based lending library to a lunch-salad stand. One is a first-aid stop replete with a defibrillator; another could be the world's smallest art gallery. In perhaps the greatest irony, they seem just the right size to serve as mobile phone repair shops and charging stations.