Red letter day for postmaster John

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A STRETTON postmaster has enjoyed a red letter day after completing 40 years behind the counter.

Post office bosses marked John Randle's four decades running Stretton Post Office, in Main Street, with the presentation of a glass plaque by David Round, business development manager for Post Office Limited.

The born and bred Burtonian also had a party with family including his wife Celia, 65, and son Roger, 37, friends and colleagues at his home in the post office.

The post office currently hires two members of staff with his wife and son, who is now classed as the manager, working out front.

Mr Randle, 79, worked in the legal profession for the former owner of the post office when he found out he was retiring.

He then surprised his wife by picking her up from the bus station and taking her to the post office to ask her what she thought about buying it.

Through the years he has seen many changes in modernising the system including everything being done through computers and the change in pensions from book to card and the post office closures which 'was a worrying time'.

Mr Randle attended Short Street Infants and Hill Street School in Stapenhill until he left at 14 to be an office boy for Ormsby Taylor and Willis Solicitors.

At 18 was called up for national service where he ended up in the Malaya conflict and at 21 returned to the legal profession.

Mr Randle said: "I've enjoyed every minute of it. They are not customers here as I consider them as friends.

"I can see the future continuing the same as long as I can as I love it here."

Commenting on his 40 years in the business, he said: "I look at it for security mainly for my wife and family.

"I just treat it as a job, you get on and do it and time flies.

"There is nothing I don't like about the job because you get that used to it you do it automatically.

"There are no real drawbacks, although getting the post ready for the postie can be a bit fraught sometimes with late comers."