An old red phone box situated in a Tyne Valley village has been transformed into a tiny book shop.
The retro phone box has been in the neighbourhood for decades but once the old phone boxes were no longer needed, it was rendered useless to everyone in the village except the spiders.
Thankfully it has been given a new lease of life after local teenager Hannah Cutler reimagined it as a book shop.
Residents can bring a book to swap for one on the book swap-shop shelves, or purchase one and leave the cash in an honesty box.
“I think it has been well received in the village,” said Hannah’s dad Shaun. “This was a lockdown project for Hannah and she’s really enjoyed doing something worthwhile for the community.”
Shaun explained: “After the phone box was decommissioned, a noticeboard was put up in there but it had become damp because the windows were leaking in a bit of water. It needed a bit of attention.
“We sealed the windows up and Hannah sourced some stained glass stickers, which really look attractive.
“We used wood to create some shelves on the far wall, opposite the door. It has been structured well and there’s more room in a phone box than you might think.”
The mini shop is divided into fiction and non-fiction sections- with adult’s and children’s books separate. Shaun said his family are especially pleased to have helped bring something pleasant for residents while libraries and book shops are closed.
“We’re really happy with it,” he said. “It’s a little hub where people can go an exchange books, entirely on an honesty basis.
“I am sure residents will see each other, and have a catch up as long as they are adhering to social distancing measures and other covid-19 regulations.”
Residents are being asked to wash or sanitise their hands before and after visiting the book shop and , and maintain social distancing.
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