by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A THIRD BT ‘street hub’ is being proposed for Weymouth town centre – outside the town’s railway station.
Other sites include St Mary Street, replacing a payphone, and on the Esplanade.
The hubs offer free ultrafast Wi-Fi, device charging and emergency call buttons, all funded by digital advertising on its internally illuminated screens. They are similar in appearance to the advertising screens already on the seafront.
The devices are also able to display public information from local councils, NHS or the police.
Objections have been raised to the proposed hub on the Esplanade with claims it would be out of keeping with the Conservation Area and add to the street clutter.
BT say the hubs will offer free 1Gbps public Wi-Fi, with connected devices able to use the hubs to make free UK calls, also offering USB charging and an emergency call button.
Said the application to Dorset Council, submitted by Mitie on behalf of BT: “High Definition displays on the sides are used to carry advertising, which helped to fund the units, but the screens can also show local content free of charge.
“Overall, Street Hubs will help future-proof the high street making them smarter, safer, and more sustainable. Investment in the high street is at an all-time low, but that has not slowed BT down as they look to ramp up their rollout of new Street Hubs across the UK. They are continuing their commitment to invest and improve in the high street, with one Street Hub at a time, and with that decluttering these environments with the associated removal of existing and redundant BT phone boxes.”
The lastest application, P/FUL/2025/06225 on the Dorset Council website, is open for public comment.
