ROYAL Mail has severely cut back its last collections times from most Winchester city centre postboxes.

Nine o'clock in the morning is now the usual weekday collection time for boxes in the city centre and 7am on Saturdays.

The last collection from the City Cross near the Buttercross on the High Street is 4pm, 5.30pm at the former post office on Middle Brook Street, or 6.30pm from the Winchester Delivery Office on Winnall Manor Road.

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The final collection in the area is 7.30pm from Southampton Mail Centre on Mitchell way at Eastleigh.

The Royal Mail says the changes have been introduced to “improve efficiency”.

The Chronicle approached the Royal Mail for comment but it has not responded.