Small businesses are being badly hit by a village's poor post service, writes Ian Townsend.

On some days there is no delivery at all in Chinnor - and on other days there are only partial or very late deliveries.

Businesswoman Tricia Pearce, who runs List Experts Ltd from her home in Hilltop Lane, said: "The service is appalling - there is no other way to describe it.

"I now pick up what post there is from the post office in Chinnor because there is no guarantee it will be delivered." Mrs Pearce added: "We have been given every excuse under the sun for this dreadful service.

"But you would think a firm making £651m in the last year would be able to provide a better service than this."

Poor performance at Chinnor has been the subject of complaints to and from the parish council.

Council clerk Brenda Wilson said: "It has been a major worry for some time.

"But complaints to Post Office Counters and the Royal Mail have brought very unsatisfactory answers." Adrian Booth, for Post Office Counters, said: "We know the problems and we apologise to our customers for the poor standard of service.

"It is caused mainly by long-term sickness which has hit three staff.

"We are well aware of the problems and busy trying to sort them out. But we can assure local people that the Christmas mail will be delivered on time."

Story date: Monday 20 December

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