Royal Mail is shaking up its offering by introducing a brand new service which will see postal workers collect parcels right from your doorstep for the very first time.
The new service – which launches across the UK today – is known as Parcel Collect.
Put quite simply, it means people will be able to send parcels without the need to leave the house, as customers who make use of the service will be asked to pay a fee of 72p on top of standard postage costs for every parcel they send, with pre-paid return items only costing 60p each.
Royal Mail said the collection service was one of the biggest changes to the daily round of postal workers since the postbox was launched in 1852 and he first parcel post was introduced in 1883.
It comes as the national postal service’s response after it has struggled with the shift away from letters to parcels as firms rely more on email for routine communications and consumers become more comfortable with online shopping and returning items.
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So, how does the service work then?
Well, postal workers can now collect up to five items per customer per day, every day of the week (apart from Sundays) and packages must be no bigger than 61cm x 46cm x 46cm in volume, and 20kg in weight.
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We’ve launched a brand new parcel pick-up service across the UK!
‘Parcel Collect’ allows you to book a collection of items directly from your front door or a nominated safe place for a small fee.
Upon declaring the size and weight of the package, customers will then be able to work out the correct cost of postage for their item and print out a pre-paid label.
Items will be collected from the door, or from a safe place on the property chosen by the customer.
Customers will be able to make bookings only via Royal Mail’s “click and drop” online service up to five days in advance until midnight on the day before collection, and then the service will provide collection slots of between two and four hours.
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You can head to the Royal Mail website here, or use the Royal Mail app and opt for ‘Parcel Collect’ to use the service.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated the shift to online shopping – with restrictions closing non-essential high street shops for months during 2020 – and Royal Mail reported a £139m increase in total revenue in the five months to 30th August, as circumstances caused a surge in parcel deliveries.
Parcel volumes during that period rose by a third year-on-year, with an increase of 177 million parcels.
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Morrisons has launched a nationwide search for its first-ever Chief Doughnut Tester
Emily Sergeant
Today is National Doughnut Day, and to celebrate, Morrisons is on the look-out for one sweet treat fan to take on a new role.
That’s right – today (5 June) is National Doughnut Day, and Morrisons is officially on the hunt for the nation’s ultimate doughnut devotee with the launch of its brand-new (and delicious) role, The Chief Doughnut Tester – with all glaze enthusiasts, sprinkle connoisseurs, and jam-filled aficionados urged to get applying.
The search is on to crown one lucky fan who’ll take on the dream job of taste-testing their way through the supermarket‘s range of doughnuts.
The Chief Doughnut Tester is more than just a title, Morrisons says it’s ‘serious business’.
Morrisons has launched a nationwide search for its first-ever Chief Doughnut Tester / Credit: Morrisons
The new hire will be tasked with taste-testing doughnuts before they hit the shelves, giving verdicts on new flavours and textures, all in the name of research.
The role will also involve teaming up with Morrisons’ internal doughnut-expert team to develop new and limited-edition treats that’ll be in stores next year.
Crowned as the nation’s definitive doughnut authority, the selected winner won’t just earn the title of Chief Doughnut Tester, they’ll also receive the ultimate of sweet perks – a year’s free supply of Morrisons fresh doughnuts, which the retailer sells more than 1.1 million of weekly.
Aspiring Chief Doughnut Testers can apply on the Morrisons website here, by filling in a short 200-words about why’re the ideal candidate.
Applications close at midnight tonight (Friday 5 June), so you’ll need to be quick.
Featured Image – Annie Spratt (via Unsplash)
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First-ever JD Wetherspoon pub to open at Manchester Airport
Danny Jones
In news that we feel many Mancs and travellers all-round have been waiting on for a long time, the well-known British chain, JD Wetherspoon, will be opening its first-ever pub at Manchester Airport.
That’s right: soon that first airport pint of the holiday could actually be a relatively cheap one.
While Wetherspoons are no strangers to popping up in terminals across the UK and Ireland, they’ve never done so here in Manchester despite having three, yes THREE, in Gatwick alone.
Not for much longer, though, as soon T2 will be lending more than 3,000 square feet of its prime leisure and retail real estate to a new Greater Manchester ‘Spoons’.
Posting on social media, the airport wrote: “Wetherspoon comes to Manchester Airport this September! The pub will be located in the Terminal 2 Departures lounge and will have more than 300 seats.
“This will become the final major food and drink venue to open its doors as part of our decade-long £1.3bn transformation of Terminal 2. It will be named ‘The Belle Vue’, in a nod to Manchester’s historic showground [now a sports complex and leisure hub].
“It was a focal point for social life in the city from the Victorian period up until 2020, when the final event was held at Belle Vue stadium. The design of the pub is inspired by the history of Belle Vue and the sporting culture of the North West of England. We look forward to welcoming you all in September!”
While a lot of money has been pumped into T2’s refurb as a whole over the past few years, it remains unclear just how much this particular new addition will cost; we do know that great sums were set aside for the launch of the Great Northern Market last year.
The inaugural Manchester Airport Spoons is just the latest in a series of major renovations.
As mentioned, the company already operate several up and down the country – 10 airport pubs, to be specific – but this will be the first in the North West.
Speaking on the news, JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson said in a statement: “We are looking forward to opening at Manchester Airport. We believe our new pub will prove popular with travellers of all ages and be an asset to the new terminal.”
With Manchester Airport adding a dozen new routes to its roster this summer, you can expect to see even more people flying in and out than ever – no doubt having already polished off a cut-price pint or two beforehand.
Emily Sergeant -
21st October 2020 
