Sweet gesture lost in translation at Highlands Post Office
How better to launch a new "local" Post Office service in Strathspey than by giving away free Gaelic sweets at the counter?
Post Office bosses duly sent inscribed strawberry rock to the new-look outlet in Boat of Garten – the only problem was, they had all been written in Welsh!
Mr David Woolsey and his wife, Beth, have run the popular local Post Office branch for some 10 years now.
"They sent us loads of balloons and bunting for an all-singing, all-dancing launch of our huge new facilities," Mr Woolsey said.
"But all that had happened anyway was that we’d slightly changed the counter in our shop. It’s no bigger or anything. It just has different cash drawers and a sheet of Perspex.
"And then we got hundreds of pieces of rock, all with this writing on which nobody could understand.
"It turned out to be something in Welsh, but I have absolutely no idea what it is and nobody else has told me yet!"
Mr Woolsey added: "But they clearly tasted good, no matter what was written into them. There were hundreds of them and every single one of them has gone – mind you, they were free."
Mr and Mrs Woolsey have been very much at the heart of the Boat of Garten community for the past decade, during which time they have been honoured by the Scottish Countryside Alliance for having "the best village post office" in the country.
The Post Office announced the launch of the new ‘local’ service at the store in February, which required a short closure for the postal side of the business for the refurbishment.
A spokesperson for the Post Office said "We were advised by Boat of Garten Post Office that they had been sent Welsh sweets for their launch, and supplied a second batch of English ones with our apologies for the mix-up.
"We are glad that our customers enjoyed them.
"If there is sufficient demand we could consider producing ‘Oifis a’ phuist’ sweets when we next place an order."
Post Office services are available during the store’s opening hours, 7am-6pm Monday-Saturday, and 9am-1pm on Sunday.
We’re happy to put Mr Woolsey’s mind at ease – Swyddfa’r Post is Welsh for Post Office.
