The installation of the prototype has divided residents but its set to come to more places soon
A REVOLUTIONARY new design of post box, designed to help communities prepare for the impact of climate change has been launched, with a prototype launched in a Cornish village.
Pat Jesson, who led the team designing the new postbox design, described how they came to the final design.
He said: “While the older-design post boxes served us well over many years, the reality is many of them are beginning to show their age and have begun to let in water, damaging our customer's mail.
“After an extensive design process involving our team of 104 designers, we had reached a part of the process where we were considering adding a pitched roof like you would see on many houses.
“However, it quickly became clear that this would not prevent the ingress issue, as rain coming in off the front would still run into the letter box.
“One of our team, a big rail enthusiast had been watching one of those TV documentaries about trains and said that if we can’t do it standing, why don’t we make it tilt like those trains were meant to?
“So, we went back to the drawing board and this is what we came up with. It’s a pleasure to be involved in this project, we believe we’ve created a design that will stand the test of time and be seen in the same way that the blue phone boxes the police used to use are now.”
Its installation, however, was controversial with locals, when it was revealed that the previous iron box would make way for this new design.
Dorothy Thompson, a local resident said she didn’t approve. She said: “It’s an absolute abomination. Our old iron postbox was the centre piece of the community for many, many years. It was here when my Dad was here, and his Dad and his Dad remember meeting his wife there.
“Why does everything have to be modern like this mad mess? If it isn’t broken, don’t break it, that’s what we used to say. It’s not like it used to be here, you know. Once upon a time, we had our own postman, and he had a cat that used to go in the little red van with him. We knew him by name, now it’s all so anonymous. The other day, I had a parcel arrive that wasn’t even in my name! I think I will have to complain, but it won’t change anything, it never does.”
Some locals were more approving, though. Norman Price, who recently moved to Commonmoor from Wales, said he loved the new design, adding “The only way it would be better is if it was on fire.”
Following the success of the new postbox installation in Commonmoor, Royal Mail has revealed the locations for their next batch of new-generation boxes.
They will be installed in the following places:
Altarnun
Pelynt
Roche
Illogan
Liskeard
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Fowey
Otterham
Okehampton
Looe
Saltash
A big thanks to Andrew Arthur who sent us this image of Commonmoor's wonky post box which was the inspiration for a bit of April Fool's fun. He said: "I enclose a picture of the Commonmoor Letter Box. This new box replaces the old cast iron box that formerly stood here for many years.
"Note that the tilted roof is on account of the very high rainfall in Commonmoor and so the box has a pronounced slant to allow the water to run off more quickly."
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