Duke of Westminster fights for phone booth

ACHFARY, Scotland, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- The Duke of Westminster, Britain's biggest landowner, says it's vital to save a pay phone located outside his remote estate in Scotland.

Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor says he opposes a plan by British Telecom to remove the outdoor telephone in Achfary, which is believed to be the only phone booth in Britain to sport a black and white paint scheme, The Times of London reported Monday.

In a statement issued by Grosvenor's community-run Sutherland Partnership, the duke said the booth is vital for walkers because there is no mobile phone signal within a six-mile radius of the Reay Forest location and the next closest pay phone is 10 miles away.

The Times said BT claims the booth was used less than 30 times last year and is among the 61 percent of its Scottish pay phones that are unprofitable.