The news that the nearly 500 year old Royal Mail is soon to be privatized came out this week. I can't begin to imagine what this might entail, though I have tried to read as many articles in the UK papers as I can. It hasn't seemed like privatization has worked well on any of the other British institutions and the talk continues over here on what to do with Canada Post as it seems to be losing millions of dollars. I get very annoyed when I hear dismissive comments like "get rid of it - who sends a letter anymore anyway?"
With Postcrossing, I am at the post office at least 2-3 times a week. Once I learned that you can save on the HST by sending your letters when you buy your international stamps, I no longer stock up and instead head out whenever I have three or most postcards ready to send. It is a rare occasion that there isn't a line-up at the counter. And this is at a substation located within the Shoppers Drug Mart that's usually open 7 days a week for about 12 hours a day. Now, I admit, I also have a tendency to get there between 4-5pm just before the mail is being picked up but still, there's always other people waiting to send something. So I say to these dismissive types who can't 'remember' when they last mailed a letter - maybe you should talk to the post office employees at your local Shoppers to see how busy they are since you obviously assume everyone else is just like you.
Okay, rant over.
for PostcardFriendshipFriday here are two postcards showing Royal Mail initiative....
this postcard shows the World's First Post Office Tram, Blackpool.
The Post Office tram was first used during the period of the Blackpool illuminations 1981. hired from Blackpool Transport Dept to promote the use of holiday postcards, the tram was adapted to accommodate a full-time philatelic sales point.
for the Post Office at the Garden Festival
When I tried googling the words garden festival, Blackpool and Fullwood, I came up blank - except for a copy of this postcard sold on e-bay
these are NWBP Series. not sure what that stands for - maybe someone from England can enlighten us?
The sad news for me is that our central post office building, of beautiful neoclassical architecture, is going to be turned into a hotel :( I feel bad I sent all my postcards showing the building...
ReplyDeleteoh, don't be sad about the post office cards - they will be collector's items! but do feel sad about the closure. at least if it's an hotel you can still see the neoclassical beauty (and maybe have a drink or two inside?)
DeleteI only go to the Post Office when I have to, but there are usually other people there mailing things. I am very annoyed at my closest Post Office and am avoiding it after a clerk there insisted his scale was never wrong and that my letter was about 1.5 ounces more than it really was. That meant I had to pay a couple dollars extra for international mail. The main Post Office gets the weight right, but different clerks apply different rules about whether my letter size cardboard mailer is a large size, a package, flexible or not. It seems like I know the regulations better than they do.
ReplyDeletethere is the same problem here, with the clerks at the substations not always being very well trained. I have had so many discussions with them - arguments, really - over this GST exemption. I refuse to pay it and will delay sending the postcards until I get to the one that knows how to do it.
DeleteHere in the States they've offered discounts if you print your postage from home. They will even come pick up your package, you just leave it on your step and they are alerted when you buy the postage that it will be on their route. I work a block from the Post Office in Lake Geneva so I just buy my stamps in there when I have to mail packages for the office. They are talking about omitting Saturday delivery here as well to try to balance the budget.
ReplyDeletewe haven't had Saturday delivery for about 30 years. now there are suggestions of 3x a week delivery and already many people in newer subdivisions have to go to a community mail box to collect their mail as door-to-door delivery has been cut.
DeleteMy husband LOVES this postcard! As do I! How perfectly cool. (grin) Thank you for posting this, my dear.
ReplyDelete