Little Lever: Frustration over village post box

Little Lever residents may have plenty to write about - but posting their letters is proving to be very much a case of return to sender.

For the village post box is completley blocked off.

Cllr Sean Hornby said himself and residents in the area are frustrated because the postbox on Market Street has been blocked by barriers for more than two weeks without prior warning - and without consent.

The postbox is situated where regeneration work is taking place - but Cllr Hornby said the works are causing serious concerns and the council didn’t inform the post office or residents the post box would not be in use.

Cllr Hornby said: “There is a regeneration taking place at the frontage, all the block paving is being replaced.

“Now, we have serious concerns at the length of time it has taken.

“It started in September, and they are still working on it, they are saying a lot of the problems are the weather, well September, October and November were the warmest on record, so I don’t accept that and what is even more embarrassing is the fact that it is the council that are doing the contract.

The post-box behind the barriers (Image: Sean Hornby)

“I have asked for details about what it has cost us and in respect of the fact that they are only going to get a fixed price for doing it.

“Obviously there are wages involved.

“But with regards to the postbox, they cordoned it off more than two weeks ago now and they didn’t tell the post office they were doing it, it was just cordoned off.

“I contacted our highways teams saying what the hell is going on here, you can’t just close off a post box, you need permission.

“So, the next thing is they could sort temporary permission and said it would only take about two or three days.

“We are told now it is going to be another week before they finish, it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Cllr Hornby said: “It is completely cordoned off, the postbox can’t be used so residents are having to go inside the post office, queue up to do what they normally would do which is just post a letter in the post box.

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The barrier is at the front of the shops on Market Street (Image: Sean Hornby)

“I’m not happy about it to say the least.

“Residents are frustrated, absolutely frustrated about it, there is just no reason for it to be like that.

“They cordoned that whole bit about two weeks ago and they could have started at one end and just worked their way down and then move the barriers but they didn’t.

“It’s just a joke.

“The block-paving is being renewed around the post box which is why it has been cordoned off.”

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Public realm improvements in Little Lever are being funded by the council’s District Centres fund.

“Work was due to be completed in early 2023 but unfortunately, we have experienced delays in the material supply chain.

“We are endeavouring to keep disruption to a minimum and to allow access to the post box as soon as possible.

“We would like to apologise to Little Lever residents and thank them for their patience.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “This postbox is out of use while the regeneration work take place, after which it will be brought back into service.

"Customers can find details of their nearest available postboxes on our website at Services near you | Royal Mail Group Ltd.”

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @chloewjourno.