A scaredy-cat postman has refused to deliver mail to every house on a posh leafy street – because he doesn’t like a retired couple’s tiny dog YAPPING at him.
Pensioners Dereck and Patricia Read were stunned when their new postie complained about their three-year-old Shetland Sheepdog Missy.
Every resident on Dormy Close in Bramcote, Nottingham, – where house prices average £600,000 – must now collect their mail from a post office two miles away.
Royal Mail wrote to the ten households on the cul-de-sac explaining that they were stopping deliveries because Missy posed an “unacceptable risk” to posties.
Retired travel agent Dereck, 80, said: “It is just ridiculous.
“How can you have a postman who is scared of dogs? We have never had this problem before and I have never heard anything like it.
“After the last chap retired, who had been coming for ten or 12 years with no problem, this young lad started about 18 months ago.
“His dad drives the van and drops him outside to run and deliver the mail.
“We have a floor-to-ceiling glass window by our door and I used to see him bating Missy with letters, making her jump up and really riling her.
“Then sure enough she would follow him if she was out – but never closer than three feet – and he would try and hit her with the mail.
“She’ll bark at him now, but she’s never touched him. The problem is he’s never around long enough for us to have a word with him.
“If he had a word with us, rather than just complaining, we could introduce him to the dog properly and there would be no problem.
“I think this postie just doesn’t like yapping. It’s not exactly a good reason to stop all deliveries.
“We have even suggested the Royal Mail change the rounds, so we get a postman who’s not scared of dogs or yapping.
“But they have refused and made everyone travel four miles each day instead.”
The couple, who have one grown-up child and one grandson, have even installed a post box at the end of their driveway so the postman doesn’t have to approach the front door.
Retired teacher Patricia, 78, said: “Missy is our sixth Shetland Sheepdog. We wouldn’t get these dogs if they were a problem.
“The only thing that has changed is the postman. I really cannot believe that they have made everyone go to the post office because of Missy.
“We give her an early morning walk and then keep her in until the afternoon. We’ve even had a post box so they won’t have to come down the drive.
“She is a sheepdog and sheepdog round up sheep – that’s just what she’s doing going round the postman in circles. Fancy having a job like that if you’re afraid of dogs.”
Retired doctors, Sathya, 65, and Jill Naidoo, 62, have lived on the street for 17 years – and say they have never had a problem with their neighbour’s dog.
Sathya said: “It is a little Shetland Sheepdog and it has never been a problem. I want evidence that the postman is in danger of visiting us.
“We have had builders here for six months – 20 to 30 different guys – and never once has a dog bothered them.”
Sathya said he has appealed against the decision to suspend his post, but he says Royal Mail has “ignored” him.
Jai Verma, 65, who has lived on the street for 34 years, said the dog is just friendly and usually plays with her seven-year-old granddaughter.
She said: “We have not had a delivery since Christmas Eve, and we have to collect everything ourselves from Beeston Post Office.
“I think it is really bad. I have a neighbour who is 90-plus and she can’t go by herself to collect the post.
“We have suggested putting a post box at the bottom of the street but nothing has been done.”
Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry says she has written to the Chief Executive of Royal Mail asking her to intervene.
She said: “In what seems like a stand-off, the postie refuses to deliver to Dormy Close, which means residents have to go and collect their post from Beeston.
“Whilst I have every sympathy for our postmen and women, this situation needs sorting.”
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “Concerns regarding a loose dog were first raised in April last year and despite reassurances from the dog owner, the dog is still not under control, is not secured and continues to be a threat to our people.
“It was loose again in December and chased our postmen and attempted to attack them. It is currently still not properly secured when the postman is on his rounds.
“We are keen to reinstate all deliveries as soon as possible and as soon as it is judged safe to do so.
“Royal Mail has also been continually reviewing the ongoing suspension of mail to the customers in Dormy Close and we have done so again in the last week.
“We would like to reassure our customers and elected representatives that our review has been escalated and is being treated as a priority.
“We are also aware that the Dog Warden will again be visiting the dog owner this week.”
Stupid people! By law, you must always be in control of your dog – be it in public or indeed on your own property. Good for Royal Mail!