The small town in Wales where people wait weeks for their post to be delivered

A community has slammed their postal service, saying that they have had enough

In a small town in Wales, residents are facing mounting frustration over a postal service that’s leaving them waiting weeks for essential mail. Whether it’s medical appointments, bills, or important deliveries, locals are discovering that what was once a simple part of daily life has become a chaotic and unreliable system.

That town is Brynmawr, a community in Blaenau Gwent, where complaints about the postal service have reached a boiling point. The Brynmawr Community Page on Facebook has become an outlet for residents to voice their discontent, and it’s become clear that the delays are affecting more than just people’s patience – it’s affecting their health, finances, and livelihoods.

One local explained the toll it has taken on their medical appointments, saying: “Only have post once a week now, plays havoc with hospital appointments. Many times I’ve had the letter after the appointment, making me miss vital treatments.”

For some, the delays are so severe they’ve missed crucial hospital visits. A resident shared, “I agree with you as I am a disabled person, have lost hospital appointments due to my post being weeks late or not turning up at all in Brynmawr NP23 postcode area.”

The problem is widespread. Several residents report receiving their mail in bursts, only to face long gaps with no deliveries at all. One frustrated person noted: “Seem to get letters, loads in one go then nothing for over a week. I was waiting for a letter from DVLA to tax my car online. In the end, I used my log book info. Good job I did as DVLA letter received way after my tax was due.”

Others are experiencing what can only be described as a game of waiting roulette. One local said: “Yes this last 5 weeks my post never turned up or it’s 2 to 3 weeks late. 3 weeks ago my mail from a travel agent was sent out and still waiting with no joy of mail from 3 hospital appointments that were posted to me, and I had to rebook them. The mail in my area of Brynmawr has gone really bad with mail.”

But it’s not just the slow service that’s causing problems – it’s the sheer inconsistency. Some people report their mail going to completely different addresses, adding further to the chaos.

One local shared their experience: “Mine goes to a different address and surname totally different. The gentleman’s house it went to was on holiday, had mine 3 weeks later. And when I do receive any, it’s only once a week. Don’t know what’s happening. I complained back in April but have had no reply – that must be lost in the post.”

The alleged lack of accountability from the postal service only adds fuel to the fire. Residents have grown wary of waiting on hold and getting no answers. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here

One resident, Glyn Havard, claimed that he had attempted to get an update about a delayed package, but calling the official Post Office inquiry desk only led to frustration.

“I made my call at 8.15 am and after a twenty-minute wait, got through to a lady at a call centre in (of all places) West Devon, who told me that unless the parcel had a tracking number, there was nothing she could help me with,” Glyn alleged. “This surprised me, as if I had a tracking number, I would have been able to track it myself via the internet. This seemed to imply that the call centre service on behalf of the Post Office was not only poor, but decidedly redundant.”

It’s the lack of responses and the inability to resolve these issues that has residents feeling like their complaints are falling on deaf ears. One local expressed how this service failure has impacted their routine: “I received 6 letters all together yesterday, some dated from 17th June – ridiculous.”

Many are turning to other methods of delivery to avoid the uncertainty, with some going as far as avoiding Royal Mail altogether. One person vented: “Only once a week we get mail… shocking. Everything I purchase these days I try to avoid Royal Mail when the purchaser says posted by Royal Mail. They wonder why they’re falling apart, the great UK GB… no more.”

With businesses even facing financial fallout from Royal Mail’s delays, the reported issue extends beyond just the residents of Brynmawr. One local reflected on how delayed deliveries have impacted their online shopping: “Yeah, ordered something with 48-hour delivery, took 10 days.

“Thing is, some businesses have policies for late delivery, where you can claim a refund. Even though it’s not their fault, this will be costing them, even though it’s the fault of Royal Mail.”

What’s most concerning is that the issue doesn’t appear to be isolated to just Brynmawr. Reports from surrounding areas, including Abergavenny, suggest that the poor postal service is affecting other parts of the country. Many residents are now starting to wonder whether this is part of a wider, more concerning trend of declining services in the area.

In response to growing concerns, a Royal Mail spokesperson offered some context. They explained, “For guidance, it’s worth noting that letter volumes have declined significantly in recent years. As a result, many households no longer receive post every day, which can understandably cause concern for customers who were used to more frequent deliveries.”

They went on to add: “All letters and parcels are important to us. Deliveries are being made daily to all addresses in Brynmawr when there is mail to deliver, but a period of high sickness absence several weeks ago meant that deliveries briefly took place every other day.”

A spokesperson from Blaenau Gwent County Council, added: “We have not been made directly aware of any postal delivery issues in the Brynmawr area.

“As a Council we do not have any control over the operations of a private business, although local councillors are able and willing to raise issues on behalf of their constituents.

“There is a good team of councillors in Brynmawr who are always happy to listen to residents’ concerns and act on their behalf where necessary. Contact details can be found on our website.”