I was interested to read the article in Andover Advertiser about the appalling service being received from Royal Mail. I live in Amport and for months and months we – and many surrounding villages - have received little or no mail on time, often only receiving a bundle once a week, and sometimes less often. (We have a subscription to The Week, a weekly news round-up magazine, and often receive two together and once three together – and never the latest issue! Useless for a time-bound item.)

It has astonished me there has been so little mention of this in the press – not only locally but nationally as I believe it is quite widespread. Our local postmistress at Abbotts Ann Post Office, Cllr Maureen Flood, has told me on many occasions there are many complaints about it, but also says the service in Andover itself is often worse.

READ MORE: A resident's experience of poor postal service in Andover

It would appear the mail is not sorted often enough, probably owing to staff shortages and then has to wait to be delivered. I recently had a small letter package sent here from Devon the first week in October, which did not arrive here in Amport until 16th October. It had missed my daughter’s visit to Amport so then needed to be forwarded to her - I put first class stamps on it and it then did not arrive in Brighton for another two weeks.

On Friday 2nd November I received a get well card from a friend in Shipton Bellinger, posted on 12th October when I was ill with Covid. The service is absolutely appalling and has been for months. I am told the Post Office is probably prioritising parcel post over ordinary letters because there is more competition from other parcel delivery services and none for letters. Unbelievable given the price of postage went up a few weeks ago!

It is also noticeable that all post boxes (certainly rural ones) have now been changed to a collection time of 9am, rather than some of them (like Amport) which used to be 4.30pm. Presumably, this allows the postal collectors to hedge their bets and collect whenever they want. The local Post Office tells me if I want to be sure of getting something in the post that day, I need to drop it off there, though that hasn’t always been successful in speeding up delivery.

SEE ALSO: 'I don't believe Royal Mail spokesperson's statements'

I would be delighted if Andover Advertiser was to take up this story – you will not have to go far to find people to back up what I have told you. We should not be subjected to such poor service but Royal Mail seems to be getting away with it?

Thank you for allowing me time to rant!

Tessa Makepeace

Sarson Close

Amport

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