Shefford Royal Mail row: Anger after post boxes repainted

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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One of the post boxes painted by Mr Powell (left), which was then repainted by the Royal Mail (right)

Seven post boxes decorated to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday have been repainted after the Royal Mail said they did not meet its standards.

Decorator Ray Powell painted the boxes in Shefford, Bedfordshire, red, the crowns on the boxes gold and the ER black.

The Royal Mail said post boxes should not be painted without permission.

Paul Mackin, the mayor of Shefford, said the repainting was "disgusting and a waste of money".

Mr Powell, from Potton, told the BBC he painted the crown because "I just thought if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it so they stand out".

"When they [the Royal Mail] repainted them, local people came up to the painter asking, 'what are you doing? They couldn't understand it," he added.

Mr Mackin said: "Mr Powell did a really professional job. When I saw them, they looked absolutely superb.

"Then they [the Royal Mail] just painted them red, like someone had just dipped them in red paint. A complete foul up. I think they should paint them back properly as a mark of respect to him [Mr Powell]."

The Royal Mail said: "We have a joint policy with Historic England and work closely with the Letter Box Study Group to maintain and protect our boxes.
"This outlines the decoration and maintenance standards we are required to meet."

A spokesman said the post box painting by Mr Powell did not "meet those standards".

[Nigel1505]

"A spokesman said the post box painting by Mr Powell did not "meet those standards". I know which one looks the more professional, and it's not the one done with a 6inch emulsion brush in two minutes.

[datasaint]

I don't know why people think they have the right to deface somebody else's property. Fair enough it was done relatively tastefully, but at the end of the day this person didn't obtain permission, so why should he been treated any different from somebody daubing graffiti on the box instead.

[Lounge Lizard]

I don't know why people think they have the right to deface somebody else's property. Fair enough it was done relatively tastefully, but at the end of the day this person didn't obtain permission, so why should he been treated any different from somebody daubing graffiti on the box instead.

Also to look right the "II" should have been black the same as the "ER".

[bmccoll]

We're about to strike over working conditions and they lambast the public over this, well done RM!

[NWpostie]

I think the local community should be given the opportunity to adopt a postbox and supplied with paint, it would bring the community together and they look out for it to prevent vandalism.

I do think the post box on the left looks better.

I remember a time when the crown and royal monogram was picked out in black or gold paint until ROMEC got told to just paint it red to save time and money.