Post delays in Andover as beehive causes leak at delivery office

The customer service point on Bridge Street is closed with residents unable to collect parcels as the company struggles to get a contractor to remove the nest.

It is causing the roof to cave in and leak, and is compounding postal issues faced by residents as Covid-related absences hit the town’s deliveries.

Residents across the town have been facing disruption in Royal Mail services over the past 30 days.

A spokesperson for the Royal Mail first cited Covid as the reason for delays in deliveries, but there is a notice outside the Bridge Street delivery centre, saying it is closed due to a plumbing leak. The notice says the structural engineers are looking into the matter, which will require honeybees removed from the cavity to gain access.

When the Advertiser contacted the Royal Mail about the leaking roof, a spokesperson said: “A small section of the roof at the Andover Delivery Office collapsed following water leakage caused by a bees nest.

“No one was injured in the incident. The safety of our colleagues is our number one priority at Royal Mail. Our people were asked to leave the office while our Health & Safety and Property teams investigated.

“We have contacted a beekeeper to safely remove the bees. We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused. Anyone with concerns about their mail can contact our Customer Services team or request a redelivery of their parcel online.”

Meanwhile, an online post by one of the Andover Royal Mail staff in Facebook community group ‘Spotted in Andover’ indicated that they are unable to fix the leaking roof because of the beehive.

The Facebook post reads: “This is a post begging for help. As most of you know we can’t open the CSP due to a leak in the roof and it caving in. This is due to a beehive (we think honeybees) but we can’t get anybody out to come and remove the nest.

“Until the nest is removed our repair team can’t start work which will result in delays to the water leak/roof repair and CSP reopening, which is what we really need so you can collect parcels etc.

“Please if anybody can help it would be a massive help to us and in turn to the people of Andover.”

Other members of the Facebook group were surprised to see the request as it is a matter that should be taken care of by the Royal Mail contractors.

One person commented: “Surely the royal mail has the ability to contract the right people for pest control and maintenance rather than asking Facebook.”

Another person asked: “Does Royal Mail not have a disaster recovery plan? Or whatever the current name of such a project is. All businesses should have it in the event of an evacuation, due to a gas leak/flood etc. Even like renting an empty shop, village hall, portacabin?

“I think your effort to try and resolve it yourself is great, but the contingency planning for such events should be at a much higher level. Royal Mail are lucky if they have staff like you trying to resolve problems that are hitting the community.”

Postal services have been disturbed across Andover for nearly a month now. The Advertiser had reported recently that residents in Picket Twenty have not been receiving their deliveries.

While, Mike Ryan of Conholt Road told the Advertiser that there have been no postal deliveries in Conholt Road, Picton Road and Barlows Lane areas of Andover recently.

“This is not the first time that letter deliveries have become haphazard. Calls to the Royal Mail Customer Helpline have a waiting time of 40 minutes, so don’t bother even trying to report a problem.

“Quite frankly, the Royal Mail is not meeting its contract and must be brought to account. Contract renewal should not be based upon historical or traditional evidence, but on current performance.”

Reacting to the problem, Andover Town Councillor Richard Rowles said the problem should have been sorted sooner.

“There are a number of local beekeepers who are willing to help out,” he said.

“I am going to get in touch with one I know and try to get it resolved soon.”