Stalemate reached over 'iconic' missing Tuffley postbox
HERITAGE experts and postal bosses have reached a stalemate over a missing Tuffley postbox.
Campaigning residents of Fox Elms Road have led a three-month fight to have their historic postbox reinstated after Royal Mail swooped in to take it away in December.
Earlier this week, experts from English Heritage waded into the debate to say that Royal Mail had breached an agreement with them not to remove any historic postboxes.
But defiant Royal Mail bosses still say the postbox will not be returned under their watch.
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Spokeswoman Val Bodden said: "We currently have no plans to replace the postbox in Fox Elm Road, Tuffley."
But she admitted talks had begun with English Heritage this week, offering a glimmer of hope to residents desperate for the box to be returned to the end of their street.
Mrs Bodden said: "In due course, we will be talking separately to English Heritage about our 2002 agreement on Royal Mail letterboxes."
Residents wants to the box back because they say the nearest one is too far to walk for pensioners and visually impaired neighbours.
Mum-of-one Lorraine Campbell, who has led the campaign, said: "We will not give up our fight. If the Royal Mail won't listen we will eventually take this to the postal ombudsman."
Mrs Campbell even enlisted her husband Ross' help to sing a spoof version of Les Mis song 'Do You Hear The People Sing?' which she named 'Will You Bring Our Postbox Back?'.
The pair have petitioned 150 of their neighbours and have even delved into archives to prove the postbox has been part of the street furniture for a century.
An English Heritage spokeswoman said: "We have a long standing agreement with the Royal Mail that red letterboxes following the classic design would remain in situ.
"The country's classic red letterboxes are an icon of British design and very much linked to our national image."
2 Comments
by geraint2010
Friday, March 01 2013, 11:04AM
“English Heritage's involvement over a post box seems rather trivial, but an important principle is at stake here. If Royal Mail is able ignore their recommendations then what is stopping the owners of more important heritage monuments and buildings doing likewise? English Heritage should have more powers, but it should not be within their remit to rule on whether an historic post-box remains in use – merely that it stays in situ and kept in good order albeit as an historic ornament.”
by GlosAnarchy
Friday, March 01 2013, 10:31AM
“The English Heritage involvement will in no way get them an active post box back at this site, if it's put back then it will be closed off so they don't have to pay for it to be emptied. I would like a post box at the end of my road but I'm unwilling to pay extra for it!”