As we told you in May this year the Scottish Police Authority took a decision in January to put the remaining police boxes up for sale. They are now on the open market and the closing date for offers is 8 October 2014. The council state that all boxes have to be painted a different colour within a month of purchase and that preference will be given to offers which do not have any conditions attached. As for the price?
Well we know that the box at Middle Meadow Walk which is used for a Brazilian takeaway is up for sale by the owners for £20,000. We were advised that the box at Magdala Crescent changed hands on the occasion of the first sale by Lothian and Borders Police for £2,000, so it is anyone’s guess how much they are worth on an individual basis. Of course the old saying ‘Location Location Location’ does not matter much as the boxes are moveable subject to having a site to put them on.
The box at Lochend has just been bought by Friends of Lochend Park and we are looking forward to hearing from them what they are going to do with that one.
The City of Edinburgh Council is helping to market these 23 iconic structures which are on its latest property list. (See below for the full list of all commercial property currently on sale)
The Edinburgh Reporter would like your help. As we have said all boxes will be changed from their original blue colour to a colour chosen by the new owner after they have completed their purchase. Would you take a photo of any boxes you come across now or after 8 October and submit them here? This will give us a complete record of what they all look like both now and later.
The boxes can be viewed from outside at any time but anyone wishing to see the inside is advised to contact Craig Lamont of Services for Communities. It is only possible to view the inside of the Cowgate/Pleasance box as there are so many up for sale.
We already have some photos of the boxes as they are at present but we think that it would be a real piece of history to have a complete set! Then we can start working on the way they look when they are in private ownership. Will you help us?
The boxes now being sold are at
Cambridge Street, Canongate, Canonmills, Cowgate/Pleasance, Craigentinny Road, Dean Terrace, Drummond Place, Duddingston Crossroads, Grassmarket, Heriot Row, Jock’s Lodge, Lanark Road, Leamington Terrace, Marchmont Crescent, Market Street, The Mound,
Murrayfield Avenue, Pier Place Newhaven, Princes Street (West End), Quality Street, St John’s Road, Tollcross, Whitehouse Loan
Add photos of your favourite police box to our storyboard here!
Click to access current_property_list_28_August_2014.pdf
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
