Call for urgent help as Lancaster mobile phone mast site declared 'unviable' after vandalism

The Lancaster MP said a mobile phone mast site in the city centre will be decomissioned after constant vandalism - meaning more woe for residents.

Cat Smith has now called for urgent government intervention to speed along a replacement site as users continue to experience mobile signal problems.

Ms Smith said she was "frustrated it has come to this" and has written to Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, saying that "due to ongoing trespass and vandalism with weapons found at the site, the mast will now be decommissioned, with a replacement expected to take between 12 and 36 months".

The mast has been on top of the derelict former Telephone House building on Fenton Street. Ms Smith said it has been offline since last June.

Police said they had received several reports of people trying to get into the premises, youths have been found trespassing at the site, and a bow and arrow set and other items were found earlier this year to indicate the presence of squatters.

They said they'd increased patrols in the area.

Lancaster residents have experienced mobile connectivity issues for a number of years.

"For the past year I have been challenging Vodafone and O2 to fix a broken phone mast in Lancaster," said Ms Smith, MP for Lancaster & Wyre.

"The mast, atop a derelict building on Fenton Street in the centre of Lancaster is operated by Vodafone, in a site sharing agreement along with Virgin Media O2.

Cat Smith MP

"I have secured thousands of pounds in compensation for residents and businesses through my website complaint forms, pushed Vodafone on the installation of jail gates, tasked Lancashire Police to upgrade their patrols around the site, and worked with city council officers to take action against the building owner to secure and board up openings.

"Sadly, antisocial behaviour and vandalism at the building has persisted, including weapons found at the site by Vodafone engineers. As a result, Vodafone have updated me today to advise:

"'I regret to inform you that the decision has been taken to deem this site non-viable and therefore a replacement site will need to be found – we appreciate this will be deeply frustrating for yourself and your constituents.

"Our estates team are now assessing viable alternative sites. To manage expectations, this is not a short process and will likely take 12-36 months to deliver. This includes finding a new location, planning permission, potentially a building safety application to the building safety regulator and then construction.

"As we know, this is having a huge impact in Lancaster’s town centre so we would hope there would be limited opposition during the planning process which can often be where we experience the longest delays. Once we have some more detail, we would of course be keen to work with you on this to ensure we can get the new site through the planning system as soon as possible.'

"Just last week the Government announced their Mobile Market Review and call for evidence as part of a commitment for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030.

"If the government is to meet this target, we need to fix poor signal in our city here in Lancaster.

"Although our mobile phone infrastructure is privatised, usually with agreements with owners of privately-owned buildings, I have contacted the city council to ask for their support in sourcing potential new sites, and have written to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology to ask for their proactive intervention and to ask how we can ensure that planning delays do not get in the way of restoring mobile phone signal in the city."

In her letter to Liz Kendall, Ms Smith said: "This leaves a significant gap in coverage in our city, impacting residents and city centre businesses.

"This situation sits uneasily alongside the Government's new Mobile Market Review, and its ambition for widespread high quality 5G connectivity by 2030. Without intervention, Lancaster risks falling behind.

"Vodafone are now assessing viable alternative sites which will include planning permission, potentially a building safety application for the building safety regulator and then construction.

"I would be grateful for your department's proactive support in accelerating the delivery of a replacement site, particularly bearing in mind any planning and regulatory delays.

"I would welcome engagement between your officials and the operators to ensure this is progressed as quickly as possible."

Beyond Radio has contacted Vodafone, Lancaster City Council and Lancashire Police for comment.

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: "We are aware of issues at Fenton Street, and as a neighbourhood policing team we have taken several pro active and reactive actions to problem solve this.

"We have added the area to our patrol plan, with officers on foot patrol in the area on a regular basis.

"On 9th January 2026 we did receive a report from security that they had located weapons within the building, on attendance this was a bow and arrow set that had been left there, along with other detritus that would suggest persons had been squatting in the building. No prohibited items were found. 

"There have been several reports to police from this address, mostly linked to persons gaining or attempting to gain access to the building and causing damage when inside.

"We have also conducted several stop searches in the area when damage has occurred.

"Often, youths have been found at the site. We have taken these youths home, spoken to their parents/guardians and their schools, with a view to educating them around the dangers of abandoned buildings. We have also arranged inputs at several local schools to further educate children about the dangers, and to discourage them attending such sites.

"There is also a wider country-wide issue around 'urban explorers', who will often target such premises and then enter to make content for their social media platforms. 

"We participate in a regular meeting with Lancaster City Council and other local stakeholders to discuss abandoned buildings in the area, and how we can work together to get them secured and prevent access."

A Lancaster City Council spokesperson said: "The local planning authority is aware of this issue. Should Vodafone (or any other telecommunications operator) request pre-planning application advice, we would be happy to support them in their search for a new site.”

Until the mid-1990s, the five-storey building on Fenton Street was used as BT's customer service centre in Lancaster, until it moved to the nearby telephone exchange on Cawthorne Street.

In more recent years it was occupied by a dentist, a security firm and a mix of other businesses.

Most recently, part of the lower ground floor of Telephone House was used as a mosque but this has now relocated to Dallas Road. 

During the Cold War, the basement of Telephone House housed an emergency bunker to be used in the event of a nuclear strike on the Lancaster district. Although the bunker didn’t ‘officially’ exist, it was common knowledge amongst staff who worked there until the basement area was cleared towards the end of the '80s.

In 2024, plans went in for new apartments in the building. Lancaster City Council has granted prior approval for the development.

Read more: Complaints over "troubling" lack of mobile phone signal in central Lancaster - Beyond Radio

More pain for Lancaster mobile phone users as signal problems persist following fire - Beyond Radio