• As Britain's seaside towns enjoy a revival[1] new Royal Mail research sees the picture postcard chosen as the item that Britons think is most likely to see a resurgence in popularity, alongside fountain pens, calligraphy and love letters.
  • Six in 10 people said they would like to see more postcards being sent and received.
  • Seven in 10 Britons would prefer to receive a postcard from a holidaying friend or family member over a social media message, due to their sentimental appeal and their 'collectability'.
  • St. Ives in Cornwall has been chosen as Great Britain's modern 'perfect postcard hotspot', alongside modern British seaside holiday destinations including Margate and the beautiful Isles of Scilly.
  • A picture that's hard or impossible to capture on a smartphone, an informative message from the sender and looking great on the receiver's fridge or mantelpiece have been voted as the most important attributes of the perfect modern picture postcard.
  • Postcards aren't just a preserve of the summer holiday - over half of people who send postcards send them all year round, including on mini-breaks, as thank you notes, and when they move house.
  • 60 per cent of people who receive postcards keep them on display. Two in 10 do so for six months to a year or longer. Over six in 10 claim to have kept at least one of the postcards they've received over the years.
  • In celebration of the most British of traditions, Royal Mail has partnered with book and manuscripts specialist Clive Farahar to compile a guide to the past, present and future of the picture postcard www.royalmail.com/postcards.

The picture postcard has been a tradition as British as fish and chips ever since Royal Mail gave them their seal of approval in 1894. As the British staycation is officially here to stay[2], so too, the public predicts, is the classic postcard.

Despite millions being sent on a yearly basis, Royal Mail research sees the postcard voted the most likely item or pastime to see a revival in popularity in years to come, alongside the likes of fountain pens, calligraphy and love letters.

6 in 10 people would like to see more postcards being sent and received, and 7 in 10 Brits would prefer to receive a postcard from a holidaying friend or family member over a social media message.

When asked why this is the case, respondents overwhelmingly said that it makes them feel special and cited their sentimental appeal.

The best modern beauty spots in Great Britain to send a postcard from include the beautiful St. Ives and Lake Windermere, alongside many recently modernised seaside towns and holiday destinations such as Whitstable and Margate:

Top 20 Modern Great British Perfect Postcard Hotspots:

  1. St. Ives, Cornwall
  2. Lake Windermere, Cumbria
  3. Jurassic Coast, South Coast
  4. Edinburgh, Scotland
  5. Isles of Scilly
  6. Margate, Kent
  7. The Needles, Isle of Wight
  8. Mousehole, Cornwall
  9. Fairy Glen, Isle of Skye
  10. Tenby, Wales
  11. Whitstable, Kent
  12. Portree, Isle of Skye
  13. Clovelly, Devon
  14. Weymouth, Dorset
  15. Ventnor, Isle of Wight
  16. Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire
  17. Bournemouth, Dorset
  18. Coniston Water, Cumbria
  19. Llandudno, Wales
  20. Bath, Somerset

Some other fascinating facts unearthed by the research include:

  • Attributes of the perfect modern picture postcard include: A picture that's difficult or impossible to capture on a smartphone; a thoughtful, informative message from the sender; and a card that looks good on the receiver's fridge or mantelpiece.
  • More than half (54 per cent) of respondents also said that sending, receiving and displaying postcards in their home was one of the things that reminded them most of summer.
  • Over half of people who send postcards do so on an occasion other than their summer holiday, including mini-breaks (32 per cent), as thank you notes (12 per cent), at Christmas (12 per cent), and when they move house (10 per cent).
  • Over 60 per cent of people keep the postcards they receive on display, and the same amount claim to have kept at least one of the postcards they've received forever.
  • Respondents from Worcester (71%), Southampton (69%), Sheffield (65%), York (64%) and Oxford (63%) would most like to see the postcard make a revival.

In celebration of the past, present and future of the British picture postcard, the Company has partnered with book and manuscripts expert Clive Farahar, who often features on the Antiques Roadshow, to compile a guide to this most treasured tradition, which can be viewed here www.royalmail.com/postcards.

Clive Farahar commented: 'It is satisfying to see that the picture postcard still plays such an important role in the modern holiday, and these curiously British keepsakes provide people with the perfect opportunity to create their own personal piece of history in a fun and thoughtful way.'

'They are also a fantastic collector's item - the vast majority still cost very little second hand and have an undeniable universal appeal; be it a rare view of the seafront before a Pier burnt down, a city centre before large scale traffic or a heart-wrenching silk postcard from the trenches of the First World War to their sweetheart at home.'

Mark Street, Head of Campaigns at Royal Mail commented: 'Whilst hot dog legs and seafront selfies are a fantastic way to showcase your holiday to friends, nothing shows someone that you truly wish they were there than a postcard with a thoughtful, funny and informative message. Think of it this way - you'll never be able to keep a social media post in the attic.'

Ends

For further information contact:

Royal Mail press office

0207 449 8246

About Royal Mail plc

Royal Mail plc is the parent company of Royal Mail Group Limited, the leading provider of postal and delivery services in the UK and the UK's designated universal postal service provider. UK Parcels, International and Letters ('UKPIL') comprises the company's UK and international parcels and letters delivery businesses operating under the 'Royal Mail' and 'Parcelforce Worldwide' brands. Through the Royal Mail Core Network, the company delivers a one-price-goes-anywhere service on a range of parcels and letters products. Royal Mail has the capability to deliver to around 30 million addresses in the UK, six days a week (excluding UK public holidays). Parcelforce Worldwide operates a separate UK network which collects and delivers express parcels. Royal Mail also owns General Logistics Systems (GLS) which operates one of the largest ground-based, deferred parcel delivery networks in Europe.

About survey

The study was conducted by OnePoll from the 21st - 28th May 2018, and consisted of a sample of 2,000 UK adults who have either sent or received a postcard at some point in their lives.

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Royal Mail plc published this content on 27 July 2018 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 July 2018 09:36:04 UTC