Tag: Royal Mail

Strictly Come Dancing judges give First Class rating to Royal Mail’s Christmas Stamps

Posted by | Dec 4, 2007 | |

Royal Mail today prepared for the busiest day for the sale of 1st Class Christmas stamps by teaming up with judges Arlene Philips and Bruno Tonioli from the hit show Strictly Come Dancing.

The full set of stamps, which depict angels and the Madonna & Child, can be purchased in Post Office branches nationwide and are available in 1st Class, 2nd Class, 78p and GBP 1.24 values.

To coincide with the availability of these stamps, Royal Mail’s recommended last posting dates for Christmas delivery are Thursday 20 December for 1st Class mail and Monday 17 December for 2nd Class items. For Special Delivery items, the last recommended posting date is 22 December. For airmail cards and letters to Western Europe, the last recommended posting date is 13 December; for Eastern Europe, the USA, Canada and Japan it is 10 December; and the rest of the world is 7 December.

Bruno Tonioli said: “Royal Mail is certainly keeping in-step with the festive season this year. If I had known the theme was going to be angels I would have put myself forward for the face of the 1st Class stamp.”

Julietta Edgar, Head of Special Stamps, Royal Mail, said: “At this busy time, Royal Mail asks that people remember to use the postcode on their Christmas cards to make sure friends and family receive their festive messages as quickly as possible.”

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Ski costs slip in dollar-stricken USA but head east for the best downhill bargains

Posted by | Dec 3, 2007 | |

Costs may have tumbled in the USA but bargain-hunting skiers will find the best value by travelling east to Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia, according to the Ski Resort Report by Post Office® Travel Services.

Borovets in Bulgaria emerges as the cheapest ski destination¹, half the price of ski equipment and living costs in the fashionable resort of Vail, Colorado. Romania (Poiana Brasov) and Slovenia (Kranjska Gora) are also significantly cheaper than long established resorts in the big three ski destinations – Switzerland, Austria and France.

But Canada, hit by an 9.5 per cent drop in its dollar value against sterling, was by far the most expensive ski destination of 12 surveyed by the Post Office®. At GBP 457.56 for the seven items compared, the resort of Banff was almost three times as expensive as Bulgaria and 27 per cent more than Vail – where the weak dollar has resulted in a price drop of 30 per cent in the past two years.²

In the mainstream European market, the survey shows that Italy still offers best value for ski equipment and resort costs – well ahead of traditional favourites Austria, France and Switzerland. Germany, better known as a cross-country ski destination, is also good value this year – one of only two destinations where prices have dropped³.

The Post Office® found wide variations in the prices charged across Europe. Ski equipment hire varied by around GBP 60 whilst a six day lift pass cost just GBP 82 in Poiana Brasova, Romania but GBP 144 in Soldeu, Andorra – no longer the bargain destination it was a decade ago.

And in its shopping basket of items regularly purchased by skiers, Post Office® Travel Services found the total cost to vary by almost GBP 300.

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Post office services may move to council buildings in Southampton

Posted by | Dec 3, 2007 | |

Threatened post office services in Southampton could be moved inside council owned buildings to save them from closure plans.

Services could be located in housing offices, leisure centres and libraries and a mobile post office could be launched if five city post office branches get the axe.

Liberal Democrat and Labour city councillors have agreed to explore whether the move would be feasible under new powers given to local councils.

Lib Dem councillor Ann Milton who floated the idea said there was “profound concern” for the impact the closures would have on communities, especially on elderly and disabled people.

However the minority Tory administration voted against her motion, saying although it was an admirable idea it wouldn’t work in practice and blamed the Labour Government for allowing too many services to leave post offices.

The move comes as Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead is calling on Post Office bosses to postpone their closure decision.

Mr Whitehead claims urban obstacles’ to alternative branches such as busy dual carriageways and dimly lit parks and underpasses have not been considered.

Mr Whitehead said: “They can act as a real impediment to customers trying to get somewhere on foot.

“The Post Office Network needs to demonstrate that they have taken into account the kinds of obstacles faced by my constituents, and they have so far fundamentally failed to do so.”

The MP is calling for a review of the plans until urban obstacles have been clarified.

Under the closure plans customers losing their local branch are supposed to be within a one-mile road distance of another post office.

A Post Office spokesman said: “In developing our proposals for an area a number of criteria are considered, including the routes to alternative Post Office branches, the availability of public transport as well as the demographics of the locality and the impact on local economies.

“It is worth noting that the four branches which are proposed to close within the Southampton Test constituency referred to by Mr Whitehead are all within a mile of an alternative branch.”

In Hampshire the Post Office plans to shut 62 of its 291 full-time sub post offices in both rural and urban areas Watchdog Postwatch has urged customers to take part in the consultation process over the closures.

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Royal Mail's Compensation Schemes for Delay and Loss and Damage

Posted by | Dec 1, 2007 | |

Postcomm, the independent regulator for postal services, is consulting on Royal Mail’s current compensation schemes for loss, damage and delay which many customers are finding difficult to understand and use.

Royal Mail’s currently has four compensation schemes for loss and damage. Postcomm is proposing that Royal Mail introduces a single loss and damage scheme governed by a clear and simple framework of principles.

In December 2007, Postcomm outlined proposed changes to Royal Mail’s compensation schemes to make them fairer and more suited to customer needs. The regulator has conducted a public consultation and worked closely with Royal Mail and Postwatch to address concerns about the complexity of Royal Mail’s current compensation schemes for retail customers and some inconsistency in how they are applied.

Following this review, Postcomm is proposing to remove bulk mail from a regulated compensation scheme for delay. Competition for bulk mail customers has developed to a point where the regulator is proposing that it is more appropriate to move towards a market driven option allowing the growth of schemes which reflect the differing needs of large mailers.

Royal Mail’s retail customers should face less difficulty in pursuing their claims because, for retail mail that has been lost, damaged or delayed, the proposals aim to simplify and align the processes for making a claim, the evidence required to support a claim, and the compensation payments themselves.

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