Elsenham's "Maher" Gold Postbox

Elsenham got its golden postbox today, after almost losing out to Bishop’s Stortford. The box at Ambrose Corner celebrate’s the show-jumping gold medal won yesterday at London 2012 by Ben Maher (and team).

Ben lives and is based at the Elsenham Stud here in Essex; the next village up the railway line from Stansted Mountfitchet.

Elsenham ESSEX Post Office with its Golden Post Box

When I read on Twitter this morning that Royal Mail’s celebtratory box was to be installed outside the main post office in Bishop’s Stortford, I was immediately on the phone to Stortford Royal Mail to ask why the Hertfordshire town was the lucky winner rather than Ben Maher’s home village. See Ben’s website with video saying where he lives: http://www.benmaher.co.uk/about-ben-maher.php

I suspect the confusion arose because the postal address is Elsenham, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts even though it’s in Essex!!

Anyway, the postman spoke to the painter who was just starting to strip the Stortford box. He spoke to several Royal Mail bosses and the end result was gold in Elsenham. I’m unclear whether the losers in Bishop’s Stortford now have a half-stripped, half-painted box!

I bought some celebtration stamps at Elsenham post office after taking the photos. Well done Ben Maher! Well done Royal Mail!