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Royal Mail deliveries are a shambles with a hit and miss service after Oban becomes the official sorting office for Taynuilt and Dalmally.
Dalmally sub-postmistress Gilli Chrystal , who has just announced her retirement plans after two decades, said: ‘We had a very good system when we had the sorting office right here. The mail was dealt with efficiently and perfectly. There was never any issues, it was just sorted and delivered.
‘There’s been no great communication over the sorting office’s relocation to Oban, there’s been no consultation like there should’ve been.
‘Nothing seems to have been put in place for the posties even though it’s been on the cards since last August when I was first told about it in a confidential manner. The sorting office was officially moved to Oban on February 22 and it’s been utter chaos since.
‘Customers who’ve been trying to call Royal Mail’s customer services have been losing the will to live. I know there’s been a strain since Covid but the service leaves a lot to be desired.’
She added: ‘Our posties are trying their best under quite extenuating circumstances. They are star value. It’s the system in Oban that is causing the problems.’
Lorna McLennan from Taynuilt Post Office told The Oban Times ‘to add to the shambles’ mail was not picked up to be taken to Glasgow last week.
The post office in the village’s main street shuts at 1pm on a Wednesday.
‘When she asked an under manager at Royal Mail what was happening about this she said she was told he did not know.
‘When our postie asked the same question he was told it would be marked down as not being collected because they could not gain access,’ she said.
Last month The Oban Times ran a story reporting how the sorting office changes were delivering more frustration to people living in the Taynuilt area, already fed-up with hold-ups in receiving post.
Back in 2018 villagers were fed-up with the ‘second-class’ service they were getting from Royal Mail but even a petition failed to get a reliable service back.
Chairman of Glenorchy and Innishail Community Council John Kerr who lives in the Bridge of Orchy is just one of the frustrated customers in the area, getting just one mail delivery last week.
Caption: Sub postmistress Lorna MacLennan outside Taynuilt Post Office
