Royal Mail Halts Deliveries to Lanarkshire Tower Block After Threats

The Royal Mail has ceased mail deliveries to a tower block located in Lanarkshire following threats made against two postal workers by a tenant who possessed a dog. Residents residing in Clyde Tower, situated in East Kilbride, were notified by letter that their mail would now require collection from the nearest post office, located one mile away. According to Royal Mail, a resident had threatened postal workers, specifically by following one through the premises as they conducted their deliveries. South Lanarkshire Council indicated that it is currently investigating the situation. Residents of Clyde Tower have since been instructed that mail collection at the post office is mandatory between 08:00 and 10:00, requiring a valid photo ID. Nevertheless, some individuals stated they either lacked a valid ID or encountered difficulties in attending during the stipulated collection times. Royal Mail affirmed that it had undertaken an “exceptional” measure with the aim of safeguarding its employees. They further stated that Police Scotland had been notified regarding the incident. A spokesperson commented: “We take the welfare of our posties very seriously and, where necessary, will take steps to ensure their safety. “We will continue to assess the current exemption however, it is our priority that posties are able to carry out their duties without fear of violence.” This action follows an incident in May that resulted in the cancellation of deliveries to a single floor of the block. The suspension was subsequently extended to the entire building after a second incident involving the tenant and dog occurred last month. A resident informed BBC Radio Scotland’s Drivetime that they believed the involved neighbour was “holding the block to ransom”. Another individual stated: “I don’t blame the Royal Mail, I think they are 100% correct. “Everybody should be able to go about their job without getting threatened although it is inconvenient, especially for the elderly people that are here.“It is nobody’s fault, apart from whoever it was that caused the problem.”If it is something that’s as serious as what they are telling us, the police should be involved.” A further resident reported that her family now declines to bring their grandchildren for visits to the block. The woman, who requested anonymity, stated: “I’m a dog person but this dog lunges at you and the owner encourages it, they should be able to control the dog.”These are high rise council flats, the dog shouldn’t be here anyway – the agreement with the council says they’re not allowed.” South Lanarkshire Council guidelines specify that pets are permitted in flats with four or more storeys exclusively under exceptional circumstances. Clyde Tower consists of 19 storeys and contains 114 flats. Calder Tower, an identical high-rise situated opposite, continues to receive mail deliveries. Craig Jardine, who serves as South Lanarkshire Council’s head of property services, commented: “We are aware of the situation in Clyde Tower and are currently conducting a robust investigation into the matter.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.