Pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks Outside Bush House is a Grade II listed building in the Westminster local planning authority area, England. First listed on 12 November 2010. Telephone kiosk. 2 related planning applications.

Pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks Outside Bush House

WRENN ID
fallow-soffit-larch
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Westminster
Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster MP: Rachel Blake (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
12 November 2010
Type
Telephone kiosk
Address
Pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks Outside Bush House, Aldwych, City of Westminster, WC2B 4BG
OS grid reference
TQ 307 810
Coordinates
51.51306, -0.11764
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: EPC · related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

Two K6 telephone kiosks stand outside Bush House on the junction of Kingsway and the Aldwych. These kiosks are constructed of cast iron, painted red overall, with long horizontal glazing in the door and sides. The tops of the kiosks feature applied crowns, not perforated, and display rectangular white signs reading "TELEPHONE" beneath a shallow curved roof. The internal equipment has been modernized.

The kiosks are positioned on the axis of Kingsway, a wide, tree-lined boulevard laid out in 1905 as part of the London County Council's urban improvement scheme, which included an underground electric tram tunnel. They frame the view towards Bush House, which closes the vista at the street's end.

Designed in 1935 by Giles Gilbert Scott for the General Post Office to commemorate King George V's Silver Jubilee, the K6 was a development of his earlier K2 design of 1924, but was more streamlined, compact, and cost-effective to manufacture. Over 70,000 K6 kiosks were produced, with many subsequently replaced, but they remain iconic features of British streetscapes.

The kiosks are notable for their strong visual relationship with Bush House and other listed buildings, their presence within a significant example of Edwardian town planning, and the artistry and functionality of Giles Gilbert Scott’s design, which marks a milestone in 20th-century industrial design.

Local climate

Pair of K6 Telephone Kiosks Outside Bush House sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 95% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 98% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 35 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 57% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 2 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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