Well it has been over 14 years and 699 blog posts since View From A Hill was founded in November 2010. The other day I looked back at the first posts and was astounded to find that on 7th November 2010 I posted a blog "There Won't Be Mail in Crookes This Xmas" .
It was a prediction that was made 14 years ago that Royal Mail would become a source of plunder for the monied classes and so it has proved with the news that Royal Mail is now owned by a reclusive Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský. His EP Group now owns Royal Mail after the UK government approved the takeover of the postal service's parent company, International Distribution Services (IDS), in December 2024. The deal was worth £3.6 billion.
"The takeover marks the end of over 500 years of public ownership for Royal Mail. The government retained a "golden share" in IDS, which gives it the power to approve any major changes to Royal Mail's ownership, tax residency, or headquarters. The government also requires EP Group to maintain the Universal Service Obligation (USO), which means Royal Mail must deliver letters six days a week and parcels Monday to Friday."
Křetínský has promised to invest in Royal Mail's modernization and transformation. He has also said that he's considering ways to allow UK citizens to invest in the company."
Ah a billionaire's promises - I think we have been here before and in nearly every case it has ended with the workers and taxpayers picking up the tab for corporate greed,
The mail this Xmas has been its usual patchy self - days without letters and cards and then a bundle arrives tied with an elastic band. Some of these have taken 7 - 10 days to arrive and not 2 - 3 as promised by the Royal Mail. The company get fined for late delivery by the so-called regulator Ofcom but they just raise their postal prices to pay the fine.
"Pay More Get Less" a slogan for today
And with that observation all that remains is to wish my readers a happy and prosperous New Year!
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