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Residents of Minchinhampton gathered this week to protest about the loss of a key local postbox.
The Dr Brown’s Road post box is believed to have been knocked over by a horse in late 2021. Royal Mail removed it shortly afterwards and have not reinstated it, carrying out none of the required consultation with the community and local councils for a permanent removal.
Cllr Chloe Turner, county councillor for Minchinhampton, said: “This well-used postbox is very much missed by our community, especially by the many older and less mobile residents who cannot easily reach alternative facilities elsewhere in the parish.
“Royal Mail have so far ignored our letters of complaint, taking no account of their own deadlines for response, so we will have to seek help from our MP and the Ombudsman.”
Boxes have also been removed and not replaced in other areas of Stroud – Woodchester, Butterow, Waterley Bottom and Stinchcombe.
Cllr Turner continued: “We call on Royal Mail to do the right thing by isolated rural communities such as ours and – at a minimum – consult with residents about local need before considering the removal of these vital community facilities.”
Cllr Catherine Braun said she has also had difficulty getting information from Royal Mail about missing post boxes in her ward of Wotton-under-Edge, including one in Stinchcombe.
Cllr Braun said: “Stinchcombe residents now have to walk along busy main roads to get to alternative postboxes – and many choose to drive instead, which increases pollution and traffic volumes.”
Royal Mail’s website claims that if a box needs to be taken out of service, a notice will be displayed to tell customers why and give details of the nearest three alternative posting facilities. It also says it tries to give four weeks’ notice of box removals.
