Angry Caterham traders have been pleading with Royal Mail to provide a new post box in Station Avenue that has 24 hour access.  The post box in the entry lobby to the post office was closed last year following incidents of vandalism at night due to its concealed position.  Consequently, once the post office closes at 5.30pm, mail cannot be posted there.

Andrew Browne of JJ Browne Jewellers in Godstone Road and chairman of the Caterham Business Partnership, said: "Royal Mail have told us that they cannot provide a new post box in Station Avenue because they would have to dig quite deeply to install one and that would interfere with utilities under the street.  I can't believe that there is not a suitable site in the town centre where a post box could be situated for us to use 24/7.  Better still, why can't they simply re-open the existing one?"  

Caterham Business Partnership member and local resident, Pamela Windsor, suggested: "Maybe the Post Office could create access to the existing post box through the wall from the street, like at the post office in Oxted.  Surely that wouldn't be too difficult?" 

For an update on this story, including a statement from Royal Mail, see the March edition of The Caterham & District Independent.