Is Wales being conned over stamps?

I AM writing to express profound dissatisfaction with the inability to buy or use the main Welsh definitive stamps, first and second class, the green first class one with the dragon and the second class brown one showing a wilting leek.

For some time now I have been unable to buy regularly these stamps, even at my local crown post office in Bridgend.

When my recent stock had run out, I visited the post office a couple of weeks ago only to be told they had none (and the assistant checked all the counter books) but that they were “on order.” Earlier this week, I went in - still not delivered, should be in a week on Friday (August 4). This is not only not good enough but at best seems a sign of inefficiency or, at worst, an attempt to rob Wales of its distinctive stamps on the grounds of “lack of use”.

Earlier this year, I was told by a post office assistant that the reason they had none was the customers preferred the peel-off UK ones. Even if this is true, the question arises: why are the Welsh stamps not available as peel-off stamps? (They are still on perforated pages and tearing one off is not a “chore” I object to!)

These stamps are a small acknowledgement of our nationhood and it is disgusting that the public is being (perhaps) conned into using only the UK versions. John D Rogers

Nantymoel