From Don Keller, Consultant, Don Keller Arts Marketing
Louise Cooper (AP, issue 127, 31 July, p11) is disingenuous in suggesting that Royal Mails Pricing in Proportion policy  introduced on 21 August  offers arts organisations new opportunities. In reality, it conceals huge price rises: the cost of sending envelopes larger than about A5 (C5) has increased by 68% for second-class postage or 42% for first class. This is going to hit smaller users disproportionately hard, especially anyone sending general post with bulky documents (contracts, perhaps) that cannot be folded, or companies mailing A4 brochures or newsletters in quantities that dont qualify for Mailsort discounts. Presumably, major mail users such as catalogue firms will be insulated by bulk contracts, but many arts organisations are going to be heavily penalised by what looks like Royal Mail introducing a price rise just before a Bank Holiday and hoping nobody will notice.