First Class post - a joke that should be ended

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

[Silver_Shiney]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

A true gentleman and a scholar, sir!

[Manoverboard]

Sounds just like OL and his never ending ' failed to arrive ' chocolates ...

[Stephen]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

Typical favouritism.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

Typical favouritism.

Fair comment.

But does it make any difference?

No.

p.s. Has my card arrived yet? Thought not. They really are hopeless.

[Stephen]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

Typical favouritism.

Fair comment.

But does it make any difference?

No.

p.s. Has my card arrived yet? Thought not. They really are hopeless.

Mervyn

I meant jokingly about you sending Silver Shiney a hamper

[Silver_Shiney]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

Typical favouritism.

Fair comment.

But does it make any difference?

No.

p.s. Has my card arrived yet? Thought not. They really are hopeless.

Mervyn

I meant jokingly about you sending Silver Shiney a hamper

Oh, don't take on, Stephen. Here, give me your address and I'll share it with you (but don't tell that splendid fellow Merv of my largesse)

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well having discovered that First Class is really Second Class these days, we posted our Christmas cards Second Class (or is that Third) yesterday. We were careful not to date them so if the worst comes to the worst our friends will think we're early for 2015.

By the way we have, of course, sent cards to all our cyber mates on here (and in your case, splendid Shiney, a Fortnum and Mason hamper too.)

Should any of these items not arrive it is the fault of the Royal Mail, so please reprimand them, not us. We did our best.

Typical favouritism.

Fair comment.

But does it make any difference?

No.

p.s. Has my card arrived yet? Thought not. They really are hopeless.

Mervyn

I meant jokingly about you sending Silver Shiney a hamper

I know you did Stephen. Okay I'll send you one too - twice as big as the one I've sent Shiney!

[Dark Knight]

typical TBM, cant afford the good stuff from Harrods

[Silver_Shiney]

typical TBM, cant afford the good stuff from Harrods

That's why he's a TBM - he believes in getting value for money. Why pay over the odds for a "fancy" name?

[Mervyn and Trish]

typical TBM, cant afford the good stuff from Harrods

That's why he's a TBM - he believes in getting value for money. Why pay over the odds for a "fancy" name?

He's only jealous because I've not sent him a hamper.

(And anyway, it's a misprint. When he says Harrods he actually means his corner shop in 'Ull, called Harolds.)

[Silver_Shiney]

Well spotted, you splendid fellow!

[Not so ancient mariner]

(And anyway, it's a misprint. When he says Harrods he actually means his corner shop in 'Ull, called Harolds.)

In Liverpool there is a discounted white goods store that goes by the name of 'Sell Fridges'

and in Harraby (one of the less affluent areas of Carlisle) the local Aldi store is known as
"The Harrods of Harraby"!

[Frank Manning]

Yodell struggling to deliver? Hmm. Come back Royal Mail, all is forgiven?

[towny44]

Yodell struggling to deliver? Hmm. Come back Royal Mail, all is forgiven?

My experience of parcel deliveries is that RM run round leaving you were out cards, resulting in massive queues at the sorting office collection points, whereas all the other private delivery services go the extra mile to ensure they deliver your parcel to a neighbour or your designated leaving place.

[Manoverboard]

Our experience of RM re parcels / packages is that they automatically bring it / them back the following day if we are out, then they will leave a card but as they are obliged to deliver to the named person I would not expect them to leave any of our post with a neighbour.

[Stephen]

Yodell struggling to deliver? Hmm. Come back Royal Mail, all is forgiven?

Agree about Yodelling Frank. Not the most reliable courier company. Their web site shows all those smart liveried vans, but what turns up, as and when, is usually some old wreck with matching driver that has been contracted.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We have friends who receive deliveries so regularly that the local courier driver now rings them up first to see when it will be convenient to deliver!

Just to add to me original post and the story of the First Class card that took three days to get there, we posted one Second Class last week that arrived the next morning. All adds to my theory that there is no point in pretending First Class is any better these days and the sooner it is put out of its misery the better.

[david63]

... but as they are obliged to deliver to the named person I would not expect them to leave any of our post with a neighbour.

That is not true these days. There was a change in the rules whereby you can agree to have your parcels/packets/etc left with a neighbour if you are out (can't remember whether it is an opt in or opt out service). The problem is that it is implemented by the delivery office only if they choose to do it.

[Manoverboard]

... but as they are obliged to deliver to the named person I would not expect them to leave any of our post with a neighbour.

That is not true these days. There was a change in the rules whereby you can agree to have your parcels/packets/etc left with a neighbour if you are out (can't remember whether it is an opt in or opt out service). The problem is that it is implemented by the delivery office only if they choose to do it.

My appreciation is that they cannot do so unless I give the company who are posting it instructions to that effect ... be that to a specified neighbour, a Sorting Office or an alternate location like the village shop etc.

[barney]

Slightly off track here but on the weekend I was speaking to a friend in Australia who told me that I could only contact them on their mobile because, once again, their phone comapny had gone bust and could no longer provide a service.

This is the second time that this has happened to them in the last two years.

Moral of the story is, be careful what you wish for.

Private delivery companies exist for one reason only and that is to make money for their shareholders.
If that ceases, then so does the company.

Any civilised, first world country without a national mail delivery service would be a laughing stock.

[Not so ancient mariner]

Yodell struggling to deliver? Hmm. Come back Royal Mail, all is forgiven?

Agree about Yodelling Frank. Not the most reliable courier company. Their web site shows all those smart liveried vans, but what turns up, as and when, is usually some old wreck with matching driver that has been contracted.

More 'Yokel' than 'Yodel' you mean?

[towny44]

Slightly off track here but on the weekend I was speaking to a friend in Australia who told me that I could only contact them on their mobile because, once again, their phone comapny had gone bust and could no longer provide a service.

This is the second time that this has happened to them in the last two years.

Moral of the story is, be careful what you wish for.

Private delivery companies exist for one reason only and that is to make money for their shareholders.
If that ceases, then so does the company.

Any civilised, first world country without a national mail delivery service would be a laughing stock.

Barney, what have you got against privatised companies, most of the businesses in the UK are private and most seem to provide a very good service as well as profits for their shareholders.
I have to admit that what I wish for is less and less state involvement in just about everything, except for the essential social services like healthcare, education etc.
If this country is ever going to be great again we need to drastically reduce the public sector wage bill, otherwise we will never get rid of the massive deficit.

[david63]

... as they are obliged to deliver to the named person I would not expect them to leave any of our post with a neighbour.

That was true at one time but no so these days, also the sender has no say in where the package is left. For confirmation seehere

[barney]

Slightly off track here but on the weekend I was speaking to a friend in Australia who told me that I could only contact them on their mobile because, once again, their phone comapny had gone bust and could no longer provide a service.

This is the second time that this has happened to them in the last two years.

Moral of the story is, be careful what you wish for.

Private delivery companies exist for one reason only and that is to make money for their shareholders.
If that ceases, then so does the company.

Any civilised, first world country without a national mail delivery service would be a laughing stock.

Barney, what have you got against privatised companies, most of the businesses in the UK are private and most seem to provide a very good service as well as profits for their shareholders.
I have to admit that what I wish for is less and less state involvement in just about everything, except for the essential social services like healthcare, education etc.
If this country is ever going to be great again we need to drastically reduce the public sector wage bill, otherwise we will never get rid of the massive deficit.

Nothing at all Towny

I've got one

I just think that a standardised mail delivery should be part of the countries infrastucture, like health, welfare, education, roads etc
It worked for 300 years without too much trouble, simply because it's raison d'etre was to deliver mail.

Only when the Government got involved did the wheels start to come off.

When you have to get in your car, to go and collect your post from a 'call in centre' and pay for the privilage of doing so, will you understand what I'm going on about.
That is what is being trialed in parts of Germany.

The private mail companies like Business Post & TNT only cherry pick the easy bits to do.
They have no obligation to deliver anywhere, unlike Royal Mail at the moment. That is very likely to change in the near future.
It will go the way of numerous local services that we once took for granted.

Example, my local Nat West bank has closed.
No big deal. I can get in my car and drive 10 miles to town. Park up (and pay for it) and do my company banking.
So, what once took 20 mins now takes a couple of hours at least.

Bank online, people say !!!! It's the future.
So, how do I pay in cash and cheques 'online' ???

Don't accept cash or cheques people say !!!
Do it via Bacs.
Fine except many of my older clients don't have a smartphone, computer etc.
Plus, they also have no local branch to go to because it's been closed.

Anyway, rant over.
I liked to see the postie coming up the path and will miss it when it's gone.