Tenby train station, is one of the busiest in West Wales during the summer season, however it appears that its platform pos tbox was not so well used by picture postcard writers, and as such, has been taken out of use by Royal Mail, and repainted black to signify so.
John Perrett who took over station adoption duties at the seaside town five years ago, volunteering to offer his help after finding that he had more and more complaining to do to rail authorities about the poor appearance of the facility - many holidaymakers’ first impression of the resort - has been left, like many others, disgruntled that the traditional wall mounted red post box which has VR on it, denoting that Queen Victoria was monarch when its was installed, has been repainted black.
“I’m disappointed and annoyed that the post box on Tenby station has recently been taken out of use. As far as I know there was no consultation and as it's a listed building I am surprised it's been allowed,” said John.
“They could have blocked it up and painted the block red so it would blend in.
“I’ve used it numerous times over the last few years. It's only been blocked off in the last month.”
However, one local postie said that she believed that it had been decommissioned due to its lack of use and also lack of maintenance to keep it functional.
“I’ve collected from that box every day for the last year or so, but I’ve collected one postcard!” said Anto O'Hara, responding to a post on Facebook about the matter.
“The door is cracked on the inside and is pinned together with screws. It got to a stage that I couldn’t open the door hence why it has been decommissioned.”
This was backed up by former local postman Martin Vickery who commented: “As a former postie who collected from it for years, we were lucky to get more than a couple of letters a week, and some times none at all, but it should be red like other boxes which are out of use.
“Shame they did not paint the station at the same time!”
One person responding however, called Royal Mail’s actions ‘sacrilege’.
“Should have just been blocked up - that's sacrilege, especially with it being a queen Victoria one!” they remarked.
Other locals admitted that they didn’t even know that a post box was located there; whilst many criticised Network Mail’s continued lack of upkeep at the station, labelling it a ‘filthy rubbish strewn embarrassment’ rather than the ‘pretty, inviting station’ it used to be.
Sharing feedback she’d receieved after raising the matter with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, County councillor for Tenby’s south ward Cllr Sam Skyrme Blackhall said: “Royal Mail typically paint listed boxes black when decommissioned. The box is included in the listing for the station.”
Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Sam Kurtz said it was ‘disappointing’ and vowed to write to Royal Mail.