Mr Bates vs The Post Office
Discussion
GreengiantPH said:
Watched the first episode, very good, need to binge watch the rest tomorrow.
Observation because I recognised them, Fenny Compton village hall is actually Pratts Bottom Village hall in North Kent. Recognised it because they hold a model railway exhibition there every year and I have exhibited layouts there many times. I used to belong to the railway club in the village.
Lee the post master, which I think they said his post office was in Birmingham, is actually in St Mary Cray, just behind the Mary Rose pub, just a few miles down the road from Pratts Bottom.
[nerdy observation off]
Cheers again. In last night's (Ep 2) I think the outside of the courtroom near the start was actually one of the rather grand old council buildings in Bromley near the fire station. Observation because I recognised them, Fenny Compton village hall is actually Pratts Bottom Village hall in North Kent. Recognised it because they hold a model railway exhibition there every year and I have exhibited layouts there many times. I used to belong to the railway club in the village.
Lee the post master, which I think they said his post office was in Birmingham, is actually in St Mary Cray, just behind the Mary Rose pub, just a few miles down the road from Pratts Bottom.
[nerdy observation off]
Se7enheaven said:
tele_lover said:
Signed and forwarded.Let’s hope a few more signatures on here will help to get the right thing done.
tele_lover said:
Just a reminder for everybody - now over 15,000 signatures.We managed to watch about the first 50 minutes of episode 1, then had to stop as it was too upsetting.
The reason being that in the late 1980s my wife and I actively considered the prospect of buying and running a shop and sub post office. Reasons why we did and didn't eventually go through with it are not relevant and would take too long to explain.
Suffice to say, like others, though we knew about this scandal we just didn't appreciate the venality of the actions and methods used against the victims. The feeling of "there but for the grace of God" for want of a better term became so strong that we had to stop. I will watch the rest however hard it may be, bearing in mind it is all a representation of events, but the injustice burns. Someone with real power to act needs to stand up for these victims and bring those responsible to properly answer for it.
I have to also question whether the Post Office is even today fit for purpose and still acting illegally even in minor cases. Look at the number of reports who have posted letters and Christmas cards with stamps bought from the Post Office where a £2.50 charge (fine(?) stretching a point) is imposed at point of delivery. Something stinks worse than the fish docks. The conclusion is for me it is not fit.
The reason being that in the late 1980s my wife and I actively considered the prospect of buying and running a shop and sub post office. Reasons why we did and didn't eventually go through with it are not relevant and would take too long to explain.
Suffice to say, like others, though we knew about this scandal we just didn't appreciate the venality of the actions and methods used against the victims. The feeling of "there but for the grace of God" for want of a better term became so strong that we had to stop. I will watch the rest however hard it may be, bearing in mind it is all a representation of events, but the injustice burns. Someone with real power to act needs to stand up for these victims and bring those responsible to properly answer for it.
I have to also question whether the Post Office is even today fit for purpose and still acting illegally even in minor cases. Look at the number of reports who have posted letters and Christmas cards with stamps bought from the Post Office where a £2.50 charge (fine(?) stretching a point) is imposed at point of delivery. Something stinks worse than the fish docks. The conclusion is for me it is not fit.
Smollet said:
Kevin Hollinrske MP, postal service minister, to paraphrase has just said on GMB basically he thinks prison sentences should be bought on those who lied openly especially if those victims themselves went to jail.
100% - if looks like they either perverted the course of justice or committed perjury. This shouldn't even really be up for debate.Seasonal Hero said:
Smollet said:
Kevin Hollinrske MP, postal service minister, to paraphrase has just said on GMB basically he thinks prison sentences should be bought on those who lied openly especially if those victims themselves went to jail.
100% - if looks like they either perverted the course of justice or committed perjury. This shouldn't even really be up for debate.Mezzanine said:
They didn’t “rip them off”, as far as I am aware it was a ‘no win, no fee arrangement’. Given these guys had no money and were going up against the Post Office who dragged every heal they had, they expensed significant resources to help them at least get it through court properly.
In turn, that case has also opened the doors to (hopefully) a much larger settlement for them in the long term.
I agree the numbers are obscene, but it’s important to understand these were not some back street lawyers chasing an ambulance.
Why weren’t their costs awarded and paid by the PO?In turn, that case has also opened the doors to (hopefully) a much larger settlement for them in the long term.
I agree the numbers are obscene, but it’s important to understand these were not some back street lawyers chasing an ambulance.
I really hope this ignites and catches fire in terms of the public interest, it's unbelievable that no one has been brought to book over this, they brought fraudulent criminal cases against innocent people that has to be illegal, they have blood on their hands and they need holding to account, I signed the petition but she should be in jail never mind her title.
We really are rotten borough as a country aren't we, the compensation appears to be pitiful so far at around £50k per claim.
Seasonal Hero said:
Nurburgsingh said:
He also suggested that Paula Vennells should hand back her CBE
My guess is she's under advice to not do so as that would appear to admit some guilt.But she should, along with every penny she earned during this fiasco.
In 2008-2010 I ran a division that had a dept that looked after the supply of all the crown post offices and the sub post masters, we also had to use the Horizon system and it was completely unfit for purpose even for suppliers, they lost millions £ of stock and I had to attend numerous meetings with them whereby they tried to blame us and get the stock replaced at our expense.
They still are the most bizarre set of meetings I've ever had, the middle management from the PO side were the most institutionalised arse coverers I'd ever met and they had zero commercial ability, zero, yet were in charge of a massive contract and thousands of outlets via the subbies and crown post offices.
We had no idea at the time what was going on with the Post masters and what they were doing to them, but looking back they were clearly attempting to do the same to us, thankfully with PODs for every delivery and a robust order/invoice trial they got told to FRO or words to that effect.
Looking back now it makes my skin crawl to think about them.
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