Thurne red phone box transformed into tourist info centre

From the outside, the British Telecom phone box in Thurne looks exactly as it does when it was installed 50 years ago.

But once inside, visitors can find out all about the Broads National Park.

The audio player inside the historic red phone box (Image: Broads Authority)

A wind-up audio player has been installed, which requires users to turn a handle which powers an audio experience of birdsong, helping to identify species commonly found in the area. 

A panel with tourist information for Thurne and the Broads National Park has also been put in place.

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It is hoped the tourist information centre will educate, inspire and encourage locals and visitors to explore the Broads at any time of year.

John Packman, chief executive of the Broads Authority said: “The opportunity to save one of these iconic phone boxes, restore it and put it to good use was too good to resist."

Funding to complete the project was secured through EXPERIENCE, a €24.5m project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (€16.9m) through the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme.

The newly renovated historic red phone box in the village of Thurne (Image: Broads Authority)

Mr Packman added: "I am grateful to Norfolk County Council’s EXPERIENCE officers - they appreciated the vision behind this unusual idea and supported us in bringing it to reality.”

Since the need for their original use has declined, iconic red K6 telephone boxes have been adapted for many different community uses including defibrillators, libraries, and mini-shops.

In Norwich, one of the UK's smallest off-licences can be found, selling local craft beers and ales. 

It is believed that the Thurne information centre with its audio player is the first of its kind, possibly claiming the title of the smallest National Park information centre in the world.