Mr Bates vs The Post Office viewers have threatened to boycott the Post Office. It comes after they learned more of the scandal that saw hundreds lose their jobs and livelihoods.
However, local posties have been forced to urge viewers NOT to boycott – and they have a good reason…
What is Mr Bates vs The Post Office about?
The new drama tells the story of the British Post Office scandal. This has since been dubbed one of the “greatest miscarriages of justice” in British legal history.
Hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting. This was thanks to a defective IT system.
739 subpostmasters were prosecuted. Hundreds more lost their livelihoods, homes, and life savings because they paid back the money the Post Office claimed was missing. Several even went to prison.
The new drama tells the story of how in 2009, a group of subpostmasters across Britain hit back and formed the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance.
Toby Jones, Katherine Kelly, and Julie Hesmondhalgh lead the cast.
Fans threaten to boycott – but posties beg them not to!
In light of the drama, viewers have taken to Twitter to announce their plans to boycott the Post Office.
“Boycott the #PostOffice,” one viewer tweeted recently. “What really needs to happen now is to after watching this program is to BOYCOTT THE POST OFFICE, they are a bloody disgrace,” another said.
However, some posties have taken to the media to beg people not to boycott. They claim it will only negatively affect local postmasters, not the Post Office.
Belfast-based postmaster Gary Massey said in a statement for the National Federation of Subpostmasters: “The ongoing Horizon Scandal has been described as the most widespread miscarriage of justice in UK history. It’s a huge wrong which needs to be righted quickly.
“Unfortunately, it has generated a lot of negative publicity towards Post Office Ltd and a number of people are threatening to boycott local post offices,” he then said.
“This will only impact local subpostmasters, not Post Office Ltd. We rely on the support of our loyal local customers, and we need them to continue to support their local post offices,” he then added.
RT @PostOfficeNews: A message from our Chief Executive https://t.co/egshGfBQR3#MrBatesVsThePostOffice #PostOfficeScandal pic.twitter.com/iH5CxqHYcE
— Post Office (@PostOffice) January 2, 2024
Postmasters beg public not to boycott
He then went on to explain that 98% of post offices are privately owned. He also added that many postmasters have their life savings in their business, and need the public’s continued support.
Communication Workers Union’s subpostmaster branch secretary Sean Hudson said: “A boycott by members of the public will serve no other purpose than to endanger the existence of these community branches which rely heavily on counter transactions to make the services they offer even remotely financially viable.”
In light of the new ITV drama, the Post Office has actually apologised. “We sincerely apologise to victims for the devastating impact of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal on the lives of so many,” they said.
“We are doing all we can to provide redress and urge anyone affected who has not yet come forward to do so.”
Read more: Real-life Mr Bates turned down an OBE and felt ‘insulted’ it was even offered to him
Mr Bates vs The Post Office airs tonight on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm.
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and then let us know.