Royal Mail under fire for mix-up at Cheltenham delivery office

Royal Mail has come under fire for a mix-up involving its Cheltenham delivery office.

The Swindon Road site’s customer service point has changed its opening hours because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It has greatly reduced the time it is open. Whereas before the crisis it was open seven days a week, including for 12 hours on four days and 14 hours on one day, its temporary opening hours see it close on Wednesdays and Sundays and only open between 7am and 11am on the other days of the week.

But customers are not being told this when they receive a Royal Mail card through their letterbox in Cheltenham, telling them they need to go to the customer service point because a signature for a parcel is required.

Instead, the previous opening hours feature on the card.

One frustrated resident, who asked not to be identified, said he looked at the opening hours printed on the card and made a special journey into town accordingly.

But when he got there, he found the hours had changed and the public collection point was closed.

He said: “While I fully understand why the hours have been changed because of the pandemic, surely Royal Mail should be advertising those amended hours on the card they put through people’s doors.

“The fact that they are not means I had a wasted journey and had to go back another day.

“I suspect that may well have happened to other people too.”

Royal Mail has been approached for comment.