Postbox

Thu 4 Apr 2019, 12:03

any news of  the replacement Post Box ??????

Thu 27 Sep 2018, 14:07

Thankyou Richard and also thanks to all the other councillors, fingers crossed it will all be sorted in the not to distant future.

Thu 27 Sep 2018, 11:55

The Town Council last night resolved to write to Royal Mail and ask for the postbox (big enough to take A4-size letetrs etc.) to be resited between Cotswold Frames and the Deli.

Thu 27 Sep 2018, 09:26

The posties are not allowed to leave the yard till 8.30am unless they have specials before 9am there are 3 posties that do Charlbury as well as other areas on there rounds. The later collection was picked up by Witney sorting office not chippy. Hope this helps

Wed 26 Sep 2018, 10:27

Our post never arrives before 12 and usually closer to 2pm... not a perfect service if posties are in the town from 7am!

Wed 26 Sep 2018, 10:00 (last edited on Wed 26 Sep 2018, 10:02)

Well I am shocked Phil!..... And Tony

Tue 25 Sep 2018, 16:06

Well, yes Pearl. As I've said, the Council has no knowledge of any discourse that may have taken place between Royal Mail and the individual who has replied to you.

Tue 25 Sep 2018, 14:51 (last edited on Tue 25 Sep 2018, 16:09)

Does that mean then Phil the reply to my question was not correct and not reported by Royal Mail?

Tue 25 Sep 2018, 14:34

This has, quite correctly, become a contentious issue. As a Town Councillor, I wish to shed a little more light.
Having attended every Council meeting over the past year, I can confirm that the Council has had no contact with Royal Mail during this time.
One Councillor has posted on this thread that "we are actively negotiating with Royal Mail". To my knowledge, this is not true.
There has been no correspondence, no consultation and certainly no negotiation with Royal Mail.
As an individual, I fuuly support Tim Widdows' suggested relocation of the original (A4 friendly) postbox in his proposed location.
If and when Royal Mail does contact the Town Council, I would argue for this solution.

Mon 24 Sep 2018, 13:06

Agree with all regarding locating the Post Box of any size, in the Town Centre. Surely all the shops in the centre need all the support they can get and a box near to the now new card shop would benefit sales.

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 22:16

To save money fewer postboxes as there are fewer letters being sent now

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 21:10

I wonder why they have said that, is there a specific reason?

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 19:20

The comments on this will be noted . I agree there are merits to get it in the centre of Town but I think the main issue is to get it back somewhere which is quite contentious with Royal Mail who really do not want to put it back anywhere!

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 14:09

Tony, between the deli and Cotswold frames there is a stone wall separating the 2 window fronts and a large pavement in front the space may not take the original double letterbox but would certainly be able to take a single one.
As to cables running underneath, well as with anybody digging a hole I'm sure they have detectors and maybe if they dig it slowly rather than a going hell for leather with a jackhammer then that should do the trick.

Sun 23 Sep 2018, 07:14

It's most important we keep our Pharmacy busy as well, yet another reason going to the Town Centre.

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 20:20

Er, Tim has already suggested a specific location (which sounds perfect if feasible). (I agree with Tim, Stephen, Christine, Jackie and James.)

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 19:30

Thanks for this input everyone.
It would be helpful to suggest actual location as this is what Royal Mail will want to know before they even consider it
Bear in mind it is no done deal as they can just say they don't need to replace it!

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 18:54

I agree with Tim, Stephen, Christine, and Jackie! The Post Box should be relocated in the centre of town.
Tony, will the Town Council consider this rather than the area around the Co-op?

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 16:44

I agree with Tim, Stephen and Christine, the Post Box should be located in the centre of town.

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 15:51 (last edited on Sat 22 Sep 2018, 17:10)

I agree with Tim and Stephen. Let's keep Charlbury Town Centre alive! Even though the Co-op is nearer for me, I strongly support the town centre option.

Since the Deli no longer stocks most of the things I used to buy there, and with the Post Office gone, also the newsagent, the library, and the flower shop gone, I have to make a deliberate effort to walk down the hill. I now also mostly take the train from Oxford Parkway. Please give me some more incentives!

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 13:42

I am with Tim on this, anyone who wants to post a letter when they are in the vicinity of the Coop, can do so at the counter, as I have just done. So please can the Town Council please respect its policy to keep the town centre vibrant.

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 12:12 (last edited on Sat 22 Sep 2018, 13:36)

It would be nice to have it back in the true town centre Tony why does Charlbury persist having everything "near" the Co-op !

The deli and Cotswold Frames would welcome the post box between our 2 shops there is an ideal spot for it and don't forget that my shop used to be the town post office so having a post box here is in its history.
Lets help keep the town centre alive by having as many amenities in the town Centre, the public still have use of their legs they were quite happy to walk along to the postbox in its original position so wouldn't it make sense when you have a spot like ours on offer ? you will do the local shops no favours at all by relocating everything up to the Co-op!
Remember no footfall in the town centre means NO SHOPS in the town centre !

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 12:11

I was told collection Mon-Fri from the Co op is 16.55.

Sat 22 Sep 2018, 11:30

We are actively negotiating with Royal Mail to get it replaced close to the Coop
But as you may imagine this all takes time

Fri 21 Sep 2018, 12:08 (last edited on Fri 21 Sep 2018, 12:15)

Church Street 5. Sheep Street..4.45 seems be latest times, Fiveways & Woodfield Drive 4.15 depending where you live the latter be long walk

Fri 21 Sep 2018, 10:13 (last edited on Fri 21 Sep 2018, 10:13)

Having just wandered up the road to post a letter in the Church St box (Friday morning), I see there is not a collection until Saturday.

It has had a restricted, alternate day collection for some years, I am afraid.

The PO has also not changed the information on the box which directs people wanting a later collection, to the now, non-existent box in Market St.

Fri 21 Sep 2018, 10:08

I had also looked at the localpostbox website & also concluded that it can't be trusted. The last collecting time for the postbox on Ticknell Piece is 9 a.m. (not 4 p.m.); but the one on 9 Acres is correctly marked as 4 p.m. for weekdays. Getting the Co-op to collect post later does not solve the problems, given the likely queues in there & also the staff resources. What is needed is a dedicated old-fashioned postbox, with lots of capacity.

I had wondered about the Museum Gardens for a new large pillar box; but then remembered that the railings will have to be removed at some stage to let the restored Wagon into the Museum space.

Fri 21 Sep 2018, 09:02

Handy site, Andrew, but I am not sure how far one can trust the information. The times given for our nearest box are not what has been showing on the box itself for a year or more. Many boxes show 9:00 and 7:00, which really means when the local postie comes around to deliver. Completely agree that it would be nice to have at least one 'late' collection point in town.

Fri 21 Sep 2018, 08:20

Looking at www.localpostbox.co.uk, it seems that the latest collection in Charlbury is now at the tiny box at the bottom of Church Street (at 5pm)! Is there no way to make the last collection at the Co-op later than it is..? And why does the property owner at the Market Street object to having a postbox which has been there for years?

Fri 21 Sep 2018, 08:08

I had a brief chat with one of the guys removing the postbox. He said that he'd had a quick scout up and down the street for alternative locations, but that there were cables underneath the pavement all along the way, which would make it difficult to dig the postbox foundations. That does, of course, make Sue's suggestion of the Corner House or Museum a particularly good one.

John - as I understand it, postboxes have deemed consent so don't need planning permission (a bit like Network Rail can do most things at the station without asking). But if it were to go by the Corner House I guess it would probably need Listed Building Consent.

Thu 20 Sep 2018, 18:44

Would 'they' need planning permission to move such a feature in a conservation area?

Thu 20 Sep 2018, 13:26

I wouldn't mind having a postbox between the Deli and my shop in the Town centre subject to the style of letterbox they want to put there.
subject to being consulted by all the relevant parties involved

Thu 20 Sep 2018, 13:22

Perhaps it is possible to re-site outside the Corner Houae or Museum?? Then still in Town centre?
Think very mean of PO not to warn of removing it and late collection altogether...

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 18:37

most of Charlbury dogs are hopping mad as well as to the removal of the postbox !

sorry Mike the last collection is 4.55 we also have to prepare the sacks for the Postman so you really need to leave it for 4.45 all post left at the Post Office counter has to be checked and segregated .

The Post box removal should have happened in May but has been delayed due to a backlog of work . In order to have a post box relocated the land owner has to approve it so there was nothing I could do to relocate it and this is not in Royal Mails hands they will relocate the box from storage as soon as a new location is agreed.

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 17:05

I'm hopping mad. I walked round to post a letter and someone's nicked the post box. I went to the Co-Op and she stamped it and put it in a sack - this is at 5 o'clock, so I hope it gets there tomorrow - a birthday card sent first class. Must say this is not a first class service.

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 16:56

Thanks, Mandy. But 4.45 is a real reduction in service. Before it was 6.15 p.m. I hope that Royal Mail rethinks this, & very soon. I also hope that the Town Council can manage to exert pressure to get this changed.

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 16:00

You can post things at the co op last post is 4.45pm from there but not sure for the other post boxes around charlbury

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 15:02

Thank you! So when is the last mail collection from Charlbury now? And where does it go from?

For those of us who live outside the centre of town, this is yet another reason not to come down to the town centre. Such a shame it was removed!

Wed 19 Sep 2018, 12:45

as you may have noticed the postbox outside the old Post Office has been removed. This was done by Royal Mail without any consultation after a request from the owner of the property. The Town Council was told by Elaine but despite much effort we were not able to get to anyone in authority before it was removed. It seems that Royal Mail are a law unto themselves which is no surprise.

However it will be followed up to see if the box can put put in another location.