The postbox painted gold in Bramhope, Leeds. PIC: Suzanne McTaggart
By Suzanne McTaggart
Published on Thursday 9 August 2012 15:06
A rebel has painted a Leeds village postbox gold in a row over the location of Royal Mail’s tribute to triathlete Alistair Brownlee.
The gold medal winner and his bronze medallist brother Jonathan have lived and trained in the picturesque village of Bramhope for several years.
But Horsforth’s New Road Side was chosen as the location for Alistair’s gold postbox, as he and his younger brother lived there as children.
Bramhope residents, including parish council chairman Denis Johnson, thought the postbox outside The Fox and Hounds pub would be painted gold after Alistair’s triathlon victory on Tuesday.
Today (August 9), in protest at Royal Mail’s decision, one resident appears to have taken matters into their own hands – by covering the small postbox on Moor Road in gold paint.
The parish council has now written to Royal Mail asking them to consider putting another gold postbox in Bramhope and is waiting for a response.
Coun Johnson said: “We’re not carping and we’re not complaining – the village just wants to share in the brothers’ success.
“There were lots of media here on Tuesday, I spoke to several of them and they actually filmed the postbox outside the pub. They seemed to be under the same impression as everybody else.
“The whole village has been asking the same question so all we can do is make our request on the basis that there were two medal winners, all be it not both gold.
“The village is delighted with the success of the brothers and hopefully they [Royal Mail] will acquiese.”
Sue Williams, who runs The Village Bakery with her husband Roger, said residents were going “berserk” about Royal Mail’s decision.
Rachael Eklid, who works in Village Fisheries, added: “It would have been nice if the village as well as the two lads could have been honoured.”
Another lady in the fish shop, who didn’t want to be named, said she was “absolutely disgusted” that the gold postbox wasn’t in Bramhope.
Resident Kate Mills, who has lived in the village all her life, added: “Although it’s not about the village, it’s sad that the place they live isn’t recognised.
“If the postbox outside The Fox and Hounds was painted, they and everyone else would see it and it would encourage people.”
Royal Mail spokesperson Morag Turnbull said: “Royal Mail is delighted to mark the achievement of Team GB athletes winning gold medals at London 2012, either individually or part of a team.
“Each of these gold medal winners will have a postbox painted gold in the community they are, or have been associated with.
“This could be where they were born, where they grew up or where they presently live and we look at all these factors before reaching a considered choice.
“We picked Horsforth as this was the place where Alistair grew up.”