Out of touch councillor

[orkneycadian]

Looks like this guy has never heard that the KW postcode is for Wick!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-26856638

Calls have been made for Caithness and North Sutherland to be given a new postcode instead of one connected to Kirkwall, over the sea in Orkney.
Properties in and around Wick and Thurso have KW1 and KW14 postcodes.
Some residents say that while Royal Mail applies the same delivery charges to all UK addresses, other firms charge higher island costs.
Thurso councillor Roger Saxon said views were mixed locally on whether the KW postcode should be changed.
He said Royal Mail had to be convinced there was a sound business case before changing a code.
Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has suggested Caithness could be given a new postcode with a link to John O'Groats.
But Rob Gibson, the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said fairer parcel delivery charges and not a change in postcode was needed.

[Surferstu85]

How do you mean ? the KW postcode currently serves both Wick Thurso and the north highlands and KIRKWALL KW. Do you know something we don't. As an internet shopper I think any measure we can bring in to give us fairer postal charges should be welcomed.

[Kenn]

I have very serious reservations about Rob Gibson, I have found him unhelpful on more that one occasion to the point of rudeness and he seems to talk a lot of rubbish at times but he should know that Wick uses the KW post code as he has his office there !

[Hoggie]

You've missed the point: Councillor Gibson obviously does know Wick has the KW postcode, but some delivery companies don't. If I order an internet delivery and some bright spark in an IT department in Bracknell has programmed their system to think "KW = Orkney = extra ferry charge" then I lose out. It is a problem, though personally I think the cheaper way to do it is to badger the geeks who programme these things, if they deign to listen to us.

[Gronnuck]

I've rarely had a problem with our KW postcode and additional postal/courier charges because I shop around. Over time I've learned who to avoid. Perhaps if someone started a Facebook page listing all those companies who do charge extra, that would go some way towards naming and shaming them. Parcelforce provide a universal delivery service accross the country so suppliers should be using them rather than some of the courier companies.

[rogermellie]

article about postcodes on the One Show the other night, the story was that areas next door to each other in Bradford had different postcodes resulting in much higher car insurance for those supposedly living in higher premium areas - they weren't, but their postcode said otherwise

just a thought, but on the flipside maybe were getting cheaper insurance up here because of this issue ...

[Green_not_greed]

Parcelforce provide a universal delivery service accross the country so suppliers should be using them rather than some of the courier companies.

Agreed and they are my preferred courier both in and out the county.

[orkneycadian]

How do you mean ? the KW postcode currently serves both Wick Thurso and the north highlands and KIRKWALL KW. Do you know something we don't.

What I do know is that the KW postcode currently serves WICK (the post town) as well as Thurso, Caithness and Orkney, including Kirkwall and Stromness. You already have a postcode centred on one of the more southerly towns in the region. How much further south do you want it to be?

A good councillor should know that.

[orkneycadian]

If I order an internet delivery and some bright spark in an IT department in Bracknell has programmed their system to think "KW = Orkney = extra ferry charge" then I lose out. It is a problem, though personally I think the cheaper way to do it is to badger the geeks who programme these things, if they deign to listen to us.

There is more to the postcode than the first letters. I don't believe for a second that getting something delivered in Paisley (PA1) is as expensive as Tiree (PA77). Unless you use Royal Mail of course, in which case it is.

[mi16]

just a thought, but on the flipside maybe were getting cheaper insurance up here because of this issue ...

because Caithness and Sutherland is a hornets nest of accidents and car crime isn't it?

[gingernut]

because Caithness and Sutherland is a hornets nest of accidents and car crime isn't it?

Actually you're right about the accidents! Highland region in general has one of the worst accident rates in the UK particularly fatal accidents. Well done Mi16

[johnny north]

What I do know is that the KW postcode currently serves WICK (the post town) as well as Thurso, Caithness and Orkney, including Kirkwall and Stromness. You already have a postcode centred on one of the more southerly towns in the region. How much further south do you want it to be?

A good councillor should know that.

A good Orcadian should know that the KW postcode has Kirkwall classed as the post town, not Wick. If Wick was the post town surely the postcode would be WK and not KW?

[Squirrels]

Yes, I agree with Johnny North. The KW postcode is centred on Kirkwall NOT Wick which is why the letters are "KW" therefore as a result of this many companies believe that Caithness postal areas are in Orkney which will cost them extra to deliver therefore charge the caithness resident more for the service. I have in the past had many companies say "we don't deliver to the islands" and have had to explain to them that I was on the mainland of Scotland not in Orkney

[gillsbay]

Johnny North should be aware that the postcode is based in the area with the 1 as in KW1 is the Wick area thus that is the postcode area, Thurso KW14, Kirkwall KW16 are more distant.
I always assumed that WK had been used elsewhere and that was why Wick was given KW.
Courier deliveries cost more up here because the main couriers deliver to sub-contractors in Inverness who deliver up here, these sub-contractors are not going to charge any less if the postcode is changed.

[Big Gaz]

It's not the couriers in Inverness who charge more, it's the couriers down south. You pay to get a parcel delivered from down south and you pay through the nose! A company i regularly deal with use ANC as their preferred courier. This shower charged an extortionate £55 plus VAT to deliver my parcel until i started to organise my own pickup. Price has now come down to £12-15 plus VAT depending on what i buy and it's STILL delivered through ANC network! work that one out!

[johnny north]

Johnny North should be aware that the postcode is based in the area with the 1 as in KW1 is the Wick area thus that is the postcode area, Thurso KW14, Kirkwall KW16 are more distant.
I always assumed that WK had been used elsewhere and that was why Wick was given KW.
Courier deliveries cost more up here because the main couriers deliver to sub-contractors in Inverness who deliver up here, these sub-contractors are not going to charge any less if the postcode is changed.

According to Wikipedia the KW postcode area is also known as the Kirkwall postcode area (hence KW). If the postcode was based in the Wick area as you have said above then it would surely have been given the WK prefix as that doesn't appear to have ever been used before.

[Rheghead]

According to Wikipedia the KW postcode area is also known as the Kirkwall postcode area (hence KW). If the postcode was based in the Wick area as you have said above then it would surely have been given the WK prefix as that doesn't appear to have ever been used before.

Mebbies the post office decided to change WK to KW just in case postage for WiCk got confused with WC which is the postal prefix to somewhere in London??

[rogermellie]

Actually you're right about the accidents! Highland region in general has one of the worst accident rates in the UK particularly fatal accidents. Well done Mi16

if you've already got a Compare The Market (other price comparison websites are available) account set up, go in and edit your personal details to alter your address ... try it with random postcodes from Dornoch, Tain, Invergordon, Alness, Inverness - i get cheaper insurance using my KW postcode than all these areas

sorry to let a few facts get in the way

(and if Kirkwall is the main post town, why isn't that KW1 instead of the lowly KW15 ? )

[orkneycadian]

A good Orcadian should know that the KW postcode has Kirkwall classed as the post town, not Wick. If Wick was the post town surely the postcode would be WK and not KW?

Here is what every good Orcadian knows.....

http://forum.caithness.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=22340&d=1389362252

Edit - By the way, credit for the above information has to go to Norseman, who first published it on here in 2011, here;

http://forum.caithness.org/showthrea...469#post906469

[orkneycadian]

Peculialrly, a typical postcode exception chart;

http://www.johnlewis.com/customer-services/information-about-delivery-methods-and-charges

...says that they will not deliver selected furniture and home products to Wick (KW1) or Thurso (KW14), but will deliver to Forsinard (KW11)

That shows that its absolutely nothing to do with the postcode - It has enough detail in it to pin down your approximate location. Its the muppets in the courier companies that need sorting out. Either that, or mandatory use of Royal Mail!