We want you to tell us your experiences with Harrogate's postal service. Vocal complaints from businesses and residents have been pouring forth over recent weeks, with deliveries once relied upon to arrive in the morning now turning up significantly later, sometimes late into the afternoon. And postal workers have also spoken out, claiming that Royal Mail's Harrogate operation is plagued by staffing issues and overwork.

Royal Mail has put a brave face on the issue, but the evidence is mounting that something is seriously wrong. If you have a view on the situation, please post us a comment. We'd also like our readers to let us know when they've had a late delivery.

Please make a note of which street you live in and what time your mail arrived, so we can identify the worst affected areas in town before presenting the case to Royal Mail. Fill in the details using the form below.
 
Name
Tell us when your mail arrived?

Delivery Date


Delivery Time
Street
Comment

 
Your Comments
c. vandepeear    Date message posted: 07/08/2008 12:27:49
Message:
Our deliveries are always after midday except when the postman takes holiday and then the releif postman is always early before 10 am the service is very poor i have complained to the local post office to no avail
Time and date mail delivered: 12.26pm   07/08/08

pwpjkinv    Date message posted: 27/07/2008 03:47:49
Message:
aszyqnfe rltaolzl http://iuqkpdci.com vplaqlub xileduhd [URL=http://pjtbwahm.com]piewvxgn[/URL]
Time and date mail delivered: 78642606   78642606

    Date message posted: 15/07/2008 12:14:05
Message:
Time and date mail delivered: 2.30pm   03/07/08

Craig Ratcliffe    Date message posted: 19/06/2008 14:46:22
Message:
Weekday post usually arrives between 10 and 11 O'Clock, which I suppose isn't too bad. The big problem is 3 parcels which I am expecting, one recorded delivery, the other 2 first class. All were posted over 2 weeks ago, and still a no show. Expect I'll get them in the special Sunday morning post.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Mrs Liz Carnell    Date message posted: 26/05/2008 21:10:15
Message:
After complaining to a firm for non delivery of a package, I returned home today (Bank Holiday Monday) to find it had been delivered this morning. It had been in the post for 12 days, and was only coming from Durham. So where has it been all this time?
Time and date mail delivered:   

Denise Davies    Date message posted: 13/05/2008 12:21:05
Message:
I'd like to make a positive comment - I received two parcels on Sunday morning! Whilst I didn't appreciate being woken up out of bed at 8am, I was grateful that I had the things I'd been waiting for without having to go and queue at Claro Road.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Jack Wild    Date message posted: 23/04/2008 13:00:32
Message:
Willy, the reason the Post Office is a shambles is because it is delivered with tax payers money.

A FULLY private system at the mercy of the market would be forced to deliver a decent service.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Willy Grunter    Date message posted: 22/04/2008 20:32:44
Message:
The postal system is a shambles. Considering it is a service paid through tax it should be delivered correctly.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Mal Palmer    Date message posted: 20/04/2008 16:59:15
Message:
Our mail used to be delivered by 1030Hrs,now its well after midday normally.The Saturday delivery used to be by 0830,now I.m not even sure if we get one. The Main Post Office is also a disgrace,where customers are treat with utter contempt,in that,even though the re are queues going out towards the entrance,you are still asked if you want a credit card,car insurance etc etc.I know the PO have lost money over the years,but that is probably due to gross mismanagement,and all they do is push up the price of stamps and services.No wonder they are losing out to private firms.
Time and date mail delivered: 1300 approx   18 April 2008

Bev Dillon    Date message posted: 19/04/2008 20:58:55
Message:
We used to get our weekday mail at around 8.30am and our weekend mail before 8am some days now we're lucky to get our mail delivered before 5pm on weekdays. In fact the other day a new record was set, it was 5.50pm! On a weekend our mail arrives at about 3pm.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Margaret Brien    Date message posted: 18/04/2008 13:14:07
Message:
Thursday 17th April I waited in all day for a recorded delivery item that I had arranged to be redelivered.Eventually, my post arrived at 4.35 in the afternoon. Today, 18th April 1.15 p.m. I'm still waiting for the post.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Tim Walden    Date message posted: 12/04/2008 14:51:52
Message:
I recieved a letter informing me of an appointment over six months after it was posted first class in Sheffield. Needless to say we had missed the appointment.
Time and date mail delivered:   

john marsden    Date message posted: 08/04/2008 11:35:41
Message:
Prior to 're-organisation' we used to receive post by 8.30am.This moved to 11.30/12.30ish after first changes made. Recent changes result in the postman saying 'good-evening' when he delivers. I read with some frustration about EU legislation on vehicle speeds. Presumably Post of Management were aware in advance of this change? Since managers are paid to manage and respond to changing circumstances it is appalling that no strategy was devised to address the fundamental issue of traffic legislation.
Time and date mail delivered: mid pm.   4/04/08

Alex Dean    Date message posted: 04/04/2008 22:32:20
Message:
Mail used to come at around 7.30. now sometimes don't get any, and obviously double the next day. If I miss a recorded delivery, even if it is in the morning, it is not available for collection until the next day. I have had 2 parcels go missing in the last 4 weeks. One I went to Claro Road to enquire about, and was told there was nothing there, yet it was returned to sender saying "not called for". Didn't have any card advising delivery, and have had to pay a further £3.50 for the sender to post it back to me.
Time and date mail delivered:   

Starbeck School    Date message posted: 04/04/2008 15:52:43
Message:
Some days the mail doesn't arrive until after 3.30pm this is unacceptable for a school (I feel sorry for the postman and I know he's not to blame)
Time and date mail delivered:   

Nicola Pollard    Date message posted: 04/04/2008 15:09:10
Message:
just wanted to register a note of success most probably due to the Advertiser campaign, post before last Friday was arriving around 1.30pm, this week it has been 10 to 11am, not marvellous but a start! Pull your socks up Royal Mail!
Time and date mail delivered: 10am   04/03/08

John Annett    Date message posted: 04/04/2008 10:15:10
Message:
Our mail usually now arrives between 12 and 3 on Monday to Friday. However on Saturdays it always comes about 9, presumably so that postal staff can watch their Saturday afternoon football. The Royal Mail blames late deliveries on new speed limits on their vehicles. How is it that these limits do not seem to apply on Friday nights? The only other reason for these "early" deliveries would seem to be that some or all of Friday's mail is kept back for delivery on Saturday and Saturday's mail for Monday.
Time and date mail delivered: