BT is moving to decommission underused public phone boxes in rural North Lincolnshire, citing minimal usage and growing mobile penetration. Planning documents reveal that phone boxes in Kirton in Lindsey and Barrow registered just 15 calls combined over a year.

This forms part of a national downsizing effort, as public call volumes have plummeted by 90% over the past decade. The UK’s phone box network has shrunk by 30% in two years, now standing at 14,000 units.

BT plans to entirely remove the unit on George Street, Kirton, while the red box on Cross Street, Barrow, will be locked and stripped of phone equipment. While mobile coverage continues to improve, some communities remain concerned about connectivity gaps and digital exclusion—particularly in rural areas without consistent signal.

Under the company’s kiosk adoption scheme, organisations and councils can purchase decommissioned units for £1. Many are repurposed as defibrillator stations, book exchanges, or micro-hubs for local services.

A public consultation on the Kirton and Barrow proposals is open until 10 July, with final decisions expected to follow shortly after. For businesses reliant on foot traffic or physical cash access, the removal of multi-use kiosks may require operational adjustments.

Lincoln County Hospital is set to receive a new linear accelerator (Linac) as part of a national £70 million NHS radiotherapy equipment investment programme. The technology upgrade aims to enhance the precision and efficiency of cancer treatment delivery across the UK.

The Linac machine enables more targeted radiotherapy, capable of reaching cancers located in complex regions such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Its use can also reduce the number of treatment sessions required for some patients, supporting improved recovery outcomes and operational throughput.

The investment, announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, will see 28 hospitals across England, selected based on their current use of ageing Linac models over a decade old, benefit from new equipment installations. The rollout is expected to enable up to 27,000 additional radiotherapy treatments annually by 2027.

This move aligns with wider NHS goals to accelerate cancer diagnosis and treatment times, improve patient experience, and modernise service delivery across oncology departments. For healthcare suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and hospital infrastructure partners, the programme represents a significant pipeline of procurement and upgrade opportunities.

Creative and heritage industries in North East Lincolnshire have grown significantly over the past year, generating over £5.3 million in external investment and delivering hundreds of employment opportunities through the Create North East Lincolnshire (Create NEL) initiative.

Launched in September 2023 with support from Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, North East Lincolnshire Council, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Create NEL supported the region’s creative economy through targeted investment, cross-sector collaboration, and talent development.

In 2024/25, 45 funded projects attracted £5.35 million in heritage and cultural investment into the area. Over 3,700 hours of paid work for local creatives were recorded, and 451 volunteers were engaged in community projects. The programme distributed more than £136,000 in direct grants to 23 practitioners and 23 larger-scale and small-scale projects, with 54% of funds going to first-time recipients.

The initiative supported a broad range of activities, from public art and performance to music and visual arts, with over 61% of the funded work falling under these categories. Major events such as Edible Grimsby, Our Future Starts Here, and the Festival of the Sea collectively attracted over 11,000 attendees. Meanwhile, Paint the Town Proud completed its 14th mural and extended its community outreach through merchandise and workshops.

In addition to project funding, the programme ran 347 workshops and mentoring sessions, 115 public engagement events, and a creative careers conference to strengthen the local talent pipeline and support long-term sector sustainability.

With continuing public investment and growing participation across disciplines, Create NEL is positioning North East Lincolnshire as an emerging hub for creative sector development with economic and social impact for the wider region.