Cladich’s village phone box has been given a new coat of paint and a new lease of life, thanks to residents who want to restore its place as a community icon.

The bright red former BT box is now a tiny shop, selling home baking, cards and paintings. It will open daily for the summer season.

Situated in a scenic spot in the Loch Awe-side hamlet, the out-of-use landmark captured the imagination of local friends Holly Ford, Bron Campbell, and Hilary Ollason.

“We decided that selling cakes from the phone box would be a way to bring it back to life, involve the community and make an interesting and different place to stop in Cladich,” said Holly.

Alongside the fresh cakes, brownies and biscuits, baked by Holly and Bron, the phone box is a new gallery for Hilary, who specialises in acrylic paintings on canvas. Her work includes cards and paintings of the Highland Cattle who graze in the field next to the phone box – and who have been tasked with watching the honesty box in which customers leave the money for their purchases.

The phone box was obtained for community use through BT’s ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme, which aims to find new uses for classic phone boxes. Locals in Cladich have shared cleaning, repairing and repainting tasks, and the team are particularly grateful to Jon and Queenie Strickland, who provided practical help and encouragement for the venture.

It is hoped that the phone box will become a community hub, supporting and promoting other local projects and enterprises. There are plans for it to house a defibrillator so that first aid can be provided in the event of a cardiac arrest in the vicinity.

“We’re so happy that our phone box has a new lease of life,” says Hilary, “it has really brought the community together.”

– Cladich is signed from the A819 between Dalmally and Inveraray, and is a one-minute drive, or five-minute walk from the main road.

– www.facebook.com/tenbytenpaintings  and facebook.com/cakesinthecallbox.