On her way back from a regional tourism meeting, Cllr Carole Ann Field was contacted by Radio Newcastle who had heard that Beadnell AA Box number 817 was under threat of removal! She had heard only sketchy reports on the matter so immediately contacted both Borough and Parish Councils in order to gather more information. It transpired that the old sentry-style wooden box at Beadnell is one of only twenty-one remaining in the country! At this point Carole felt another campaign coming on, since by now she had discovered that the Strategic Highway Authority (namely Northumberland County Council) had already indicated their unwillingness to undertake the future liability or maintenance of Box no 817.
NCC had in fact suggested that either the Borough or the Parish Council may wish to come to the rescue and in regard to this Carole spoke with a number of interested parties over the course of the next week or ten days.
A member of the parish council, Cllr Ian Stewart was most concerned that a piece of Beadnell's heritage might be under threat, whilst the Borough Council's Museum Office gave an interview to Radio Newcastle expressing his desire that the box be retained and maintained. At this point in time it was not known that the box was in fact on the 'listed' scale and steps were being taken to discover the precise status of Box 817.
Carole received a call from Mr Ron Burton who had himself only recently photographed the box for English Heritage under their 'Images of England' project. He was able to confirm that the box had in fact been listed in 1987 and as such could not be removed or in any way interfered with. Carole gave several media interviews in late September, indicating the willingness of local people and other bodies who would be keen to preserve the old yellow and black structure, in order to ensure the survival of another piece of local history which could one day form part of a planned Village Trail.
With the safety of the box assured, Carole is now working with Berwick Borough Council to explore the way forward for its continued maintenance. The AA are aware now of the listed status of the box and the fact that interested parties wish to take on with its maintenance and will receive written confirmation of this.
Carole says that although the box is over ninety years old and has now 'lost' the original handset, the interior is hardly vandalised and is an excellent example of a much-recognised landmark which conjures up images of a bye-gone era, when motorists across the breadth of the country would receive the salute of the uniformed AA man on his recognising the all important badge on the car radiator grill.
