Vandalised postboxes divide opinion in Dartford

KentOnline / KMTV

Royal Mail vow they have plans to tackle the graffitied postboxes, but do the rest of the community in Dartford actually want the change?   Chloe Brewster reports.

Transcript

00:00I'm here on the streets of Dartford, where these post boxes have been causing quite a stir.

00:04Now it's been a year and a half since 38 post boxes in the Dartford area were vandalised.

00:09Some spray-painted in gold, just like this one, and others were slightly more interesting.

00:14A Cadbury's cream egg and Mr. Blobby.

00:16These are just some of the varied designs Danny Wiskin, a 34-year-old from Chaucer Way in Dartford,

00:21left on post boxes in this town last year.

00:23Gold was the most popular design of choice by Wiskin,

00:26emulating those featured in the hometowns of 2012 Olympic medal winners.

00:30While many of the vandalised post boxes were repainted back to their familiar bright red base,

00:34it seems the designs unleashed a wave of copycat vandal Van Goghs.

00:38I did actually think they looked alright, but at the same time not,

00:41because it's public property at the end of the day, and obviously that's Royal Mail.

00:44It makes it look very tattie, makes the town look untidy.

00:49Yeah, I must admit, I don't think that they look good at all.

00:51Well, I think they've brightened the place up a bit actually.

00:54I know you're not meant to do it, but I think they look quite good.

00:58I hesitate to actually put anything in them because they do this,

01:02because I think if they do that on the outside, are they going to be vandalised?

01:05Rather than they vandalised inside.

01:07A Royal Mail spokesperson said,

01:09We are aware of the vandalised post boxes and are arranging for them to be repainted.

01:14Royal Mail regularly inspects and maintains all its post boxes across the UK.

01:18Any that are damaged or vandalised are added to our maintenance programme

01:21and repainted as soon as resources and weather conditions allow.

01:25But what do the people of Dartford want done with their post boxes?

01:27The art could be better and if it's not going to be excellent,

01:32then I think the traditional post box would impress people more.

01:37I don't mind that if they were professionally painted

01:40and they looked very professionally done, then I've got no objection.

01:46I still think they should be red.

01:47Oh yeah.

01:48Public holidays, three-year-days, stuff like that, you could do something with them.

01:52Invite Banksy.

01:53Whether you're missing the familiar red or feel the post boxes have become part of the culture here,

01:58we're sure Royal Mail are hoping no more repainting bills arrive in the post.

02:02Chloe Brewster from KMTV in Dartford.

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