'Bring back post box to town centre post office!'

[johnnyp]

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/ ... 5625313.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'Bring back post box to town centre post office!'


n Customers cannot use the post box at the main post office, but must go to these ones, below, near the Guildhall CE
Date: 08 September 2009
Angry residents have demanded a post box should be reinstalled at Northampton's main post office, claiming the original decision to remove the service was a first class blunder.
Despite being the main post office in Northampton, the St Giles Street branch currently does not have its own post box, meaning members of the public have to cross the road and walk down to the Guildhall to post a letter.

And some customers claim they have even been turned away from the branch when they tried to post a letter over the counter.

Adrian Baker, who lives in the town centre, ran in to the problem on Friday, when he says he was told by the staff that they would not take a letter for him.

He said: "Everywhere in the world you expect to be able to post a letter at the post office. Indeed they are a source of civic pride in many places, but not Northampton.

"Every time I visit Northampton's main Post Office I am infuriated by the fact that the letter box has been removed to the Guildhall. It gives a very poor impression to any visitor to Northampton and I am not alone, I often hear complaints about it from other customers."

The post box outside the St Giles Street post office was moved down the road to outside the Guildhall in March 2007 after Royal Mail said drunken revellers were using it as a toilet and vomiting behind it on Friday and Saturday nights.

The idea of moving it was to take it out of where it was "tucked into a small niche at the side of the pavement" to a more "open location" where it would not be abused.

Dorothy Wright, chairman of the Duston branch of Pensioners' Voice, said: "It's ridiculous. The whole point of a post office is having a post box where you can post your letters. What will they come up with next?

"I don't know why they removed it in the first place, it makes life so much more difficult for everyone. My members would love to see it put back where it belongs."

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail yesterday insisted staff at the branch should accept letters over the counter and added: "Staff at Northampton Post Office are happy to accept mail over the main counter into the secure area. Alternatively there is a postbox near the branch."

The full article contains 411 words and appears in Northampton Chron & Echo newspaper.Page 1 of 1

Last Updated: 07 September 2009 10:15 PM
Source: Northampton Chron & Echo
Location: Northampton

[johnsouthwales]

post office without a postbox is like a pub having no beer