[jambutty]

Sorry Margaret, have to disagree with the right of pensioners to pick up 'their pension' at the Post Office. Time moves on and and I have mine put into my Bank Account .. so convenient. New pensioners of today, and indeed, over the last 20 years are conversant with the art of banking, direct debits, standing order, etc and if they aren't, plenty of help around. Television licences by direct debit give me the release of trailing to the post office now and no danger of forgetting.. so easy. Pay most of my bills this way, it's great.
If they then wish to draw cash, usually a cash point so much nearer to them.
For instance, should the Co-op in Oswaldtwistle be granted these services and you lived around the war memorial .. wouldn't have to go down to Church or to the top climbing the incline, can nip across to the Co-op, do your shopping, pay for your T.V. licence and draw out cash at the same time. All sounds much more convenient to me.

Find it a pain in the ass when I have to tax my car and no getting out of going to the Post Office then. Usually, lunch-time of course, and held up by a line of pensioners collecting their pension, counting it out at the counter and carefully placing in their wallets, purses ... for all to see !!

Just think they can't be bothered for it to go through the bank and being awkward for the sake of it, much safer too. These type of pensioners are probably the ones that keep their money under their mattresses.

It is a long while since I read such a selfish and self centred post #9 as yours katex. It highlights just how far down the me, me, me, me, me road society has progressed.

Pensioners have exactly the same rights as anyone else including you. If those rights include getting their pension at the post office and it means you have to queue behind them whilst they diligently and carefully put away their money then that is just tough. Your answer is not to go at lunchtime. Go on the way home from work. In any case most pensioners are clear of the post office by late morning.

I don’t like Direct Debit because I have been burned in the past. OK! So I did get my money back - eventually - but it cost ME time and money to do so. I have also been burned when using a local shop to buy gas credits on a card meter. My purchases never arrived at the gas company and when I finally managed to get my meter changed to a quarterly one I got a shocking bill that included a demand for money I had already paid. That too took ages to sort out and it also cost me time and money in phone calls and letters.

What if you lived at the bottom end of Union Road?

Most pensioners are not awkward for the sake of it they are just old and not quite as quick in thought and deed as they used to be. One day, with a bit of luck you might become a pensioner yourself and I suppose you will then whinge at the younger people as they push past you on the street or in a supermarket aisle.

Is this what I served in the Navy for and worked damned hard all my life at the expense of my health, to be treated like some pariah?