Royal Mail to increase stamp prices by 30%

Today it was announced that Royal Mail will increase the price of a First Class stamp to 60p from April, along with other planned price rises.

Currently, the price of a first class stamp is set at 46p, however Ofcom - the post office regulator - has lifted some price controls on products, allowing Royal Mail to increase the prices. For first class stamps, the price will increase by 30%.

From 30th April, a second class stamp will increase from 36p to 50p, a 39% increase. There will also be increases to large stamped letters, air mail and business class post.

The news has angered the public, who over the last ten years ago, have seen the price of a first class stamp increase by over 100%.

However, Royal Mail described the plans as "necessary", after revealing that since 2006, there has been a 25% decline in the volume of post. Royal Mail worries that without the planned increase, the reliability of their service will remain vulnerable in the tough economic climate, and the advancement of technology.

From my point of view, I'm rather worried about these plans too. If you were to ask me a few years ago what the cost of a first class stamp was, I would have been able to tell you. Now, however, the prices seem to increase every year.

On the face of it, 60p might not sound like much, a point the Royal Mail chiefs were making today. OK, so it might be the same price as a chocolate bar, but that is not the point. Compared to other countries, the cost is ridiculously high, and the service is unrelible, despite Royal Mail being keen to point out that the price rise reflects an improvement in service and speed.

But does it? Who are they fooling. Since the last price increase, I've had mail lost, returned and delivered late. Last Christmas, I sent a package three months beforehand to New Zealand with the promise of guaranteed Christmas delivery. It didn't even make the New Year!

The customer service is appalling, and what with the Royal Mail and the Post Office acting as two separate companies, it's painful trying to solve a dispute like a late delivery.

The postal service still plays a vital role in the UK. The Royal Mail chiefs may argue that technology is forcing them out of business, but at the end of the day, there is nothing quite like receiving a letter in the post then an email. It's always going to be used, it just needs to wake up to the 21st century and think ahead.

With the government agreeing last year that 90% of the Royal Mail will be privatised - likely to happen by 2014 - the postal service remains in the spotlight. I'd like to think the Royal Mail will still be here for years to come, and I'm sure it will be. But it needs to focus on the public demands. Forget technology and investment, focus on the small things that matter. After all, it's an important part of our infrastructure that needs protecting.

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Paddington Bear: A worthy winner of Britain's best animated character?

His blue duffle coat, accompanied by a pair of shiny red wellingtons, topped off with a black hat, has been an iconic look for over 50 years. He helped to make marmalade sandwiches popular, and it could be argued he put Peru on the map. He is of course, Paddington Bear, and he was this week crowned Britain's best animated character of all time.

Paddington Bear has long been one of my favourite bear's. Sitting alongside Winnie the Pooh, Knut and the Hair Bear Bunch, he is perhaps one of the more wiser bears in the entertainment world. Never failing to regenerate himself after - he was first brought to our screens way back in 1958 - he remains an iconic figure for Britain.

So you would expect public opinion to be in support of his latest accolade, which he won at the 9th British Animation Awards in London this week. He's featured in books, TV shows and has had many teddy bears, toys and collectibles made, yet I was shocked to find outcry from some members of the public who criticised the win.

But why? Most arguments seem to centre around the fact that although Paddington Bear is iconic, he perhaps does not have the glamour of some of the other competitors. Characters such as Super Ted, Bagpuss, The Clangers, Mr Benn, Dangermouse and Postman Pat were all nominated alongside the lovable bear. All were hits in their day, with Postman Pat still clinging on to children's TV. All popular candidates for the award, but none so worthy as the great bear himself.

The likeable thing about Paddington was that he was, well, ordinary. Apart from being a kooky character with a love of marmalade and battered suitcases, the stories were easy to follow and promoted family values. They touched on issues such as adoption and class conflict with subtlety, with the first series using stop-motion animation to keep the audiences focus on the narration. Humour was of paramount importance, and the storylines always varied, keeping the audience's interest.

The best thing about Paddington, when compared to many of the animations we have today, is that he was not commercialised into an advertising machine. Yes, you could buy your very own Paddington Bear, but you did not see his face or logo printed on nappies to bananas like you do with more modern characters. Peppa Pig may have popular appeal, but if she was not advertised everywhere, would you know her?

The British public of today want a shiny star. Over the last few decades, it has been apparent that to succeed in children's TV, you need money and you need publicity. Similar to the celebrities of the real world, the concept is the same. Which is why so many of the characters of yesterday have left our screens, headed for the history books.

Yet Paddington remains. Like a cult rock artist, he is highly regarded by our nation. Maybe it is his outfit, his name or personality that keeps him familiar with people young or old? Who knows, but whatever he has, many of the other animators are keen to find it. As the old English proverb goes, 'mighty oaks from little acorns grow', and maybe Paddington is an example of this. He will never tire, certainly not in my eyes.

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia/ The Jourknow