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Friday, 1 September 2023

Post and GOne – Royal Mail announce P&G Closing at Christmas 2023.

Royal Mail Stamps and Collectibles has announced the closure of Post and Go.

"Following a thorough review of our Post & Go Kiosks we have taken the decision to end all remaining Post & Go activities by the end of this year.

"Several factors have contributed to this decision including the fact that there has been no new Post and Go issues for several years and the change of Monarch would now require new issues to be re-introduced.

"Existing kiosks will remain operational through until Christmas, including a final overprint on certain kiosks, details of these will be shared by our operational partners at IAR soon. 

"All remaining Post & Go kiosks will shut down on 31st December 2023 and be removed from all sites shortly afterwards."

Background to Post and Go, original website article 2008.

 

Original Wincor-Nixdorf installation at Birmingham Post Office October 2008.

Edit: NB this announcement only applies to Royal Mail machines provided by IAR, installed in museums.

I have enquired as to the situation regarding Jersey Post, Guernsey Post and Gibraltar Post which all use IAR machines, and about Post Office Self-Service Kiosks which use different machines.

UPDATE 5 September - replies from Postal Administrations.
 
Guernsey Stamps
@guernseystamps
Good morning. We have no plans to withdraw our Post & Go machines. We'll be releasing our 2024 stamp schedule in the near future with full details of what's coming up next year.
 
Jersey Stamps
@JerseyStamps
Morning  We also have no plans to withdraw the machines, keep an eye out next year for new issues!

at

9 comments:

  1. Anonymous2 September 2023 at 13:15

    I wonder will Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Gibraltar continue with theirs Brian - Dublin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3 September 2023 at 14:12

    If thee Post Office machines are to continue, surely they will require stamps. Once QEII stocks are exhausted surely they will need a new issue? John Embrey

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kate4 September 2023 at 13:45

    I wonder whether there will then be a deadline to use up any post & go labels you may still have. I have several 'Rest of World' 10g post & go labels that I don't know whether I can use any more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic4 September 2023 at 17:19

      I don't think so. For a start we don't know what is happening to Post Office SSKs which use and dispense the same stamps still.
      Secondly there is no reason to invalidate these any more than there is the special and commemorative stamps issued since 1971.

      Delete
  4. J. Paul Murdock5 September 2023 at 09:04

    Am I the only person not to understand what Post & Go was ever for?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic5 September 2023 at 09:52

      As first installed in Post Offices in 2008 the machines were a very useful way of taking pressure from counters. Prior to P&G several other machines had been in use in a few locations, as early as 2004. Over the next 10 years they have been adapted and enhanced and the PO machines are heavily used.

      As for the Royal Mail machines used at Stampex, Museums, and Philatelic events, they were a way to make the stamps available to collectors who could not get to the branches, initially at Bristol, Sunderland and South Shields Crown Offices but also at the new Old Hastings 'Post Office Essentials' branch in a retails store.

      By November 2008 there were still only 20 scheduled installations and onl one in central London at Ludgate Circus.
      More here: http://norphil.co.uk/articles/Post_and_go.htm

      Delete
    2. John H.7 September 2023 at 12:35

      Given that they are heavily used, it's odd that I've only ever received one private letter with a P&G stamp. Are the majority used on non-UK mail?

      Delete
    3. Trevor7 September 2023 at 17:24

      They are used a lot for packages in my experience which generally defaults to a label

      Delete
  5. Anonymous7 June 2024 at 17:45

    Just bought a bundle in whsmiths po in hereford, did not realise that they may be discontinued, machines accept cash and card. Maybe we are lucky here..... Charlie hr1.

    ReplyDelete

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