POST AND TELEPHONES

Post Office Services

Bolton has a main post office in the town centre on Deansgate with other sub-post offices located around Bolton.

They are usually open from 9.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday and from 9.00am - 12.30pm on Saturdays. The post offices may close on Wednesday afternoons.

Collections from the red post boxes are every day and some have collections on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Never send cash / bank notes in your letters, they are not the responsibility of Royal Mail and if they go missing there is nothing you can do.

Letters - overseas

All overseas letters are by airmail and are at various prices according to size and country. You will need a blue airmail label, and letters will need to be weighed and stamped in the post office.

If you want to send a parcel you will need to go to the post office to have it weighed and stamped and you will need to fill out a customs form.

If you need to send important documents or valuable items in the post, there are many different ways to do this such as Registered Mail, Recorded Delivery, Special Delivery, Swift air and Postal Orders. Details can be obtained from the Main post office on Deansgate.

To obtain detailed information on prices, log onto the Royal Mail Website and click on 'postal prices'

You can also pay your telephone, gas and electricity bills at the post office. You can buy telephone cards for public phones, TV licences, Road Tax and you can obtain forms for provisional driving licences.

Telephones

You will find public telephones at all airports, sea ports, bus and railway stations and on many streets in Bolton. Instructions on how to use them are displayed next to the telephone. Telephones will accept a minimum of 20p and BT phonecards which can be bought from the Post Office or any shop where the green phonecard is displayed.

Emergency Phone Calls

For the Police, Fire Brigade and Ambulance dial 999. Calls are free from any private and public phones. State the service you need and give your location.

Private Phones

You will probably have a private line already installed in your house of flat. If not speak to your landlord to have a telephone line installed. You can contact British Telecom (BT), NTL or other telephone service provider. Numbers are available from a phone book.

Generally, the cheapest time to make a phone call is between 6pm and 8am and all weekend and the most expensive time is between 8.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Friday.

However, BT and NTL offer discount plans for regular international callers. Check first.

Public Call Centres (PCO)

There are many PCOs' or call centres where you can make international calls to your family and friends or purchase pre-paid phone cards to use through your own private phone. This is much cheaper than using your private telephone, mobile phone or public call box.

There are a number of call centres on Derby Street and Deane Road. Pre-paid phone cards are available in £5, £10, and £20.