Not My Royal Mail – A Personal Stand

As many of you know, I work as a professional photographer here in the East of England. Reliability is at the heart of what I do — clients trust me to turn up on time, deliver on deadlines, and pay attention to the details. That’s the standard I expect not only from myself but also from the businesses I choose to work with.

That’s why I’ve made a very deliberate, and yes, radical decision: from now on, I will not be using Royal Mail or any of its connected services, including Post Office Counters and Parcelforce. This applies to both my personal life and my business.

It’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly, but it’s one I feel I must take — for reasons of principle, reliability, and respect.

Why I’m Saying Not My Royal Mail

Standing with Sub-Postmasters

Like many of you, I’ve followed the shocking news around the Sub-Postmaster campaign. The wrongful prosecutions, the ruined lives, and the sheer lack of accountability have left a mark on me. It’s impossible to ignore how badly so many hardworking local people were treated under the weight of a system that refused to admit fault.

For me, choosing not to use Royal Mail is about more than late parcels — it’s a stand against the treatment of those sub-postmasters and a refusal to brush it under the carpet.

Professional Standards Matter

On a practical level, I’ve also had too many experiences where Royal Mail simply hasn’t delivered — literally. Missed delivery dates, parcels arriving damaged, or no sign of them at all. As someone who relies on equipment, prints, and time-sensitive deliveries for shoots across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire, that’s not good enough.

When I make a promise to my clients, I keep it. I expect the same from the couriers my suppliers choose to use. Unfortunately, Royal Mail and its offshoots have consistently let me down in this respect.

Taxpayer Subsidies Without Accountability

Another frustration is the way Royal Mail continues to be subsidised by taxpayers while failing to deliver. If a business like mine, or like many of my clients’ companies, performed this poorly, we’d be out of business within weeks. Yet because of its Royal Charter and long history, Royal Mail is allowed to stagger on, leaving the rest of us to pick up the tab.

I’d much rather see fair competition and genuine accountability in the postal and courier market.

What This Means for My Clients and Suppliers

A Clear Change Going Forward

From today, I’ll no longer accept parcels or deliveries via Royal Mail, Post Office Counters, or Parcelforce. If you’re a supplier I work with, I kindly ask that you switch to another courier service when delivering to me.

If you already use alternative services — brilliant, thank you! If not, I will unfortunately need to look elsewhere for supplies and partnerships.

A Practical Step Towards Change

I’ll also be asking every supplier to confirm which courier they use. This isn’t about making life difficult — it’s about ensuring that my business doesn’t depend on a failing system. There are many excellent alternatives out there, from DPD and UPS to smaller local couriers, who consistently outperform Royal Mail in both speed and reliability.

Hoping for a Wider Movement

I know one person’s decision won’t change an organisation as big as Royal Mail overnight. But movements always start with small steps.

By saying Not My Royal Mail, I’m breaking my dependence on them and showing that it is possible to demand better. If more businesses and individuals do the same, we may start to see real accountability — not just for late parcels, but for the lives ruined in the sub-postmasters scandal.

This is about more than convenience. It’s about respect for workers, fair use of public money, and holding organisations to the same high standards that the rest of us live by every day.

Closing Thoughts

I’m proud of the work I do as a photographer, and I’ve built my business on trust, reliability, and professionalism. It’s only fair that I expect the same from those I work with.

So this is my stand: I will not use Royal Mail. Not their Post Office Counters, not Parcelforce, not any part of that family of companies.

I’ll continue to support suppliers and couriers who deliver with care and respect, and I’ll always be upfront with my clients about the standards I expect.

This may not be the easiest road, but it’s the right one. And if enough of us take it, perhaps we’ll see lasting change.

Not My Royal Mail.