Post boxes are traditionally painted red, but there are some exceptions. What’s more, you can brighten things up at home, by choosing a coloured external letterbox.
Painted Post Boxes
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Isle of Mann Post Office. Before this, the island was managed by the British Post Office, but independence was gained in 1973. Since then, the volume of letters has halved, yet demand for parcel deliveries has seen significant growth.
The half-century milestone was marked with a series of events, including the release of a commemorative stamp set and a treasure hunt. In addition, a competition was launched for residents to design a post box on the theme of ‘Our Beautiful Island’.
The winning designs were ‘Yn Turrys’, (which translates as ‘journey across the island’) by Victoria Thomas and Lesley Sleight’s ‘Sea to Summit: Colours of Mann’. The two designs have now been unveiled. Yn Turrys decorates the post box at Ronaldsway Airport and Sea to Summit adding interest to Nobles Hospital’s post box.
We think this is a fantastic way to mark the occasion and we love the look of the new Isle of Man post boxes!
Painted Post Boxes Mark Sporting Success
In a break from tradition, Royal Mail painted 110 British post boxes gold in 2012. This was a mark of respect for athletes who achieved the highest recognition of sporting success – gold in London’s summer games.
Initially, this was to be a temporary measure, with a gold box in the home town of each winner. However, Royal Mail decided to retain the gold and add a plaque about the athlete. This was a one-off event, so despite the British team gaining medals in Rio, Sochi, Tokyo & Beijing, no further boxes have officially turned gold.
That’s not to say that the public hasn’t taken matters into their own hands. Post boxes in Kent, Mersea Island and Poole have all been painted gold to recognise local champions. However, Royal Mail has returned these to red.
Add Colour with Post Boxes for Home
The most popular external letterboxes and parcel boxes in our range are black and anthracite grey, however, some customers like to inject colour and personality. If you want to brighten things up, take a look at the Moda Italiana Gioiosa die-cast aluminium letterbox, powder coated in red, white and green. It’s a sleek and stylish design, as you would expect from a leading Italian maker.
Alternatively, there’s Gustaf, a free standing post box in a range of Skandi-inspired muted tones including blue and green. The same colour range is offered in the Lovisa & Karl parcel boxes. These are a good option if you, like the Isle of Mann Post Office, receive a growing number of packages and parcels.
We don’t currently stock gold letterboxes, but if you love a bit of shine, can we tempt you with the antique copper finish on the Muretto through the wall letterbox? Or, maybe one of our stainless steel post boxes?
Every one of these options is manufactured by specialists to European standards. They include a secure hold, along with anti-corrosion and weather-proofing features. From our Buckinghamshire warehouse, we offer a prompt turnaround and supply all post boxes with two keys and a warranty.
If you are a building developer, please contact our team to discuss lead times and delivery to site.