Oxford News
Delivery boss slams Evri after pay dispute and redundancies
Daniel Sheehy, the owner of Old Windsor Logistics, has spoken out about why he terminated his business’ relationship with the parcel giant last month.
In April, Old Windsor announced it would no longer deliver parcels in Abingdon or Oxford with its 25 on-site drivers all being let go.
The firm, which has its Oxford base at the Horspath Trading Estate in Cowley, had delivered parcels for Evri for seven years.
READ MORE: Evri statement as UK delivery firm contractor shuts with drivers fired
In the immediate aftermath, Evri worked to ensure there was no disruption to its parcel service and has since offered jobs to the drivers fired by Old Windsor.
Now, Mr Sheehy has reiterated his criticism and his belief that it wasn’t possible for the relationship to continue.
He said: “It’s not possible for third parties to be profitable and that’s why I’ve given up my business of 11 years.”
One of the most important reasons for this, he said, was that profitability at the firm was undermined by Evri raising the share of ‘postable’ and ‘small’ delivery bands from virtually nothing to two thirds of total volume.
This was combined with a reduction of standard parcel volume from 42 per cent to 15 per cent between November 2019 and March 2026.
‘Postable’ or ‘small’ pay bands earn £0.73 and £0.83 per parcel respectively, significantly less than the standard parcel pay bracket, which is around £1.20 per parcel and was itself reduced according to Mr Sheehy.
Although the smaller bands should, in theory, be easier to fit into a delivery vehicle and be quicker to deliver, he added that the parcels were being mislabelled undermining the system.
As such, Mr Sheehy says this meant a collapse in both the profitability of his business and of the ability of his drivers to earn a fair living wage.
In addition, more than £50,000 in fines and over £11,000 in insurance charges had also hurt the business.
In response a spokesperson for Evri said it routinely reviews arrangements with partners and is committed to working with them and supporting them in their service.
The spokesperson added: “We routinely review our delivery model and third party relationships to offer continued service improvements and the best delivery choices for our customers.”
However, Mr Sheehy believes that if the trend continues others may also be forced to end their relationship with Evri.
He said: “I think everyone knows what’s going on but they’ve all been indoctrinated and been doing it for so long.”
“People are at wits’ end,” he added, referring to other contractors, “and people have said to me, fair play, there’ll be others that will do it”.
He added that he thought he was being used as a test case to lower prices.
“We survived these lower rates because I made it work and I was running a very professional shop,” he said.
Mr Sheehy continued: “And so they continued lowering it for other people and then they’ve tried it again this year.
“And that’s where I’ve said enough is enough.
READ MORE: Evri parcel delivery disruption after Oxford firm collapses
“I know what they’re going to do. They’re going to try it with me being the most professional and proper setup and then they’re going to go to others.”
A spokesperson for Evri said: “Independent data has recognised us as having the highest on-time delivery rate of all carriers and our dedicated community couriers are at the heart of our business.
“As we continue to grow, we continue to welcome new community couriers who our customers tell us provide a high standard of service.
“Keen applicants can express their interest on our website.”
The party group has a new leadership team in place after it held its seats at the May 7 polls, but failed to make new gains in the authority.
Dr Chris Smowton, who led the group for four years and into the 2026 vote, has been replaced by Katherine Miles, who represents Summertown.
She said: “I am delighted to take the baton from Chris as we head into a critical period of time of change in our city.
“The local government re-organisation will reshape the way the city is run – we need to ensure Oxford has a strong voice.
“I will work to seek a fairer and more sustainable open economy in Oxford and tackle the dual climate and nature emergencies.”
Ms Miles was first elected in 2021 and has lived in Oxford for more than a decade.
Her background is in international development, women’s financial inclusion and climate risk insurance.
She added: “Thank you to Chris Smowton for his effective leadership of the group over the last four years. I look forward to continuing to work together.”
Dr Smowton, who represents Headington, will now be deputy leader of the group.
He said: “This is a vital year for Oxford as we go into a generational change in local government structure.
“I will work to hold the Labour minority to account and fight to ensure we deliver affordable housing, genuinely safe roads and a cleaner, greener city.”
Kitri, known for its bold and contemporary womenswear, made the announcement on social media earlier this week.
Haeni Kim, the brand’s founder, said it was the “only responsible path forward” after “exploring every possible avenue”.
Haeni added the decision to shut “had not come easily”, and described running the brand as “one of the greatest privileges” of her life.
Ms Kim launched the London-based label in 2017.
UK High Street Shops That No Longer Exist
Following the closure announcement, Kitri has launched an online clearance sale with up to 70 per cent off remaining stock.
In a statement shared online, the company said: “As we begin to wind down operations, we invite you to shop with KITRI one last time – including archive favourites and our final Spring Collection, all at reduced prices. Delivery and returns will continue as normal during this time.
“Thank you for the last nine years and I hope these pieces will continue to bring you joy for years to come.”
The announcement was met with disappointment from customers, who flooded Kitri’s Instagram with messages of support.
One comment read: “Genuinely panicked and heartbroken, I have loved your brand since the very beginning, no dresses for me like yours have.”
Another supporter took to the comments section to say: “I will continue to wear my Kitri pieces with pride and will always be proud to have been a Kitri girl.”
Another user wrote: “No this is tragic! I’m very sorry to read this and sending you a big hug and lots of luck for your next chapter.
“I will continue to wear my Kitri pieces with pride and will always be proud to have been a Kitri girl.”
Oxfordshire County Council has said the A4095 in Curbridge will be fully repaired after only a partial fix worried the community it would be left incomplete.
The road had been nicknamed after American landmark the Grand Canyon by Witney councillor Thomas Ashby because of the number of potholes which led to drivers zigzagging along it to avoid damage.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire ‘Grand Canyon’ pothole road resurfacing update
Works were confirmed earlier this year and have since been carried out but only on an area of the A4095 that didn’t need improving, according to Mr Ashby.
The Conservative politician said: “They have resurfaced a section of the A4095 that was in okay condition, while their own mapping promised a full upgrade through Curbridge.”
He added: “Resurfacing the worse section of the road should have been common sense.
“Residents were promised a complete improvement, yet we are left with the same hazards.
“I nicknamed this road the ‘Grand Canyon’ for a reason, and I will not stop campaigning until the council delivers the resurfacing they officially committed to.”
However, the county council has since confirmed it will be looking to make a larger repair on the road later this summer having already completed some minor patching works.
A spokesperson said: “The completed section of road was treated as part of our £8m countywide surface dressing programme.
“This is a very cost-effective method of resurfacing, aimed at extending the life of roads by around 10 years.
“The uncompleted section is scheduled for a deeper inlay resurfacing treatment later this summer, due to its condition, although some minor ‘patching’ repairs were carried out at the same time.
“However, additional defect repairs will also continue to be carried out as required before the resurfacing takes place, if picked up by our inspectors or reported to us by the public.”
This come following a particularly problematic winter for potholes with numerous reports of car damage in Oxfordshire, including for the Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander’s car.
READ MORE: Death of ‘inspirational’ cancer campaigner behind Witney in Pink Day announced
The council in response has said it has invested close to £15 million on pothole repairs since 2024 and has hired more teams to tackle the issue this year.
The spokesperson added: “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to highway maintenance and our highways teams will use different methods depending on the condition of the road.
“However, they are all part of our priority to improve preventative treatments on our highways to stop defects such as potholes from forming in the first place.”
-
Oxford News3 weeks agoBanbury cake company with 400 year history shut down
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoBicester man denies sexually assaulting two young girls
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoBicester crash: Motorcyclist ‘seriously injured’ in hospital
-
UK News3 weeks agoTV tonight: Shetland meets CSI in a new drama about a disgraced cop | Television
-
UK News3 weeks agoStarmer says it ‘beggars belief’ he wasn’t told about Mandelson vetting failure as he faces Commons – UK politics live | Politics
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoOxfordshire ‘hidden trap’ pothole leads to compensation payout
-
Crime & Safety2 weeks agoYoung farmers club hosts fun farm competitions in Bicester
-
UK News4 weeks agoV&A faces calls to become living wage employer on eve of Stratford opening | V&A