Victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal have forcefully rejected proposals for an exhibition on the affair at the Postal Museum, branding the idea a cynical public relations exercise they will not support.
Deep Distrust and Feelings of Coercion
The public inquiry into the wrongful convictions of hundreds of post office operators announced in September that it was collaborating with the Postal Museum as part of a legacy project to commemorate the scandal's devastating impact. However, many victims advising the inquiry's legacy work are deeply suspicious of the museum's involvement.
Katie Burrows, daughter of Elaine Hood—a Derby postmistress wrongly convicted of theft in 2002—said a meeting at the museum to discuss the exhibition left her "deeply traumatised." She described feeling coerced, stating the event was "set up as a PR stunt" she could not endorse.
The distrust is compounded by the fact that the museum receives partial funding from the Post Office itself. Nichola Arch, a former operator wrongly accused of stealing £26,000, attended the same meeting. She asserted that while the museum accepts Post Office money, it will never win the trust of victims.
A Space That Feels Like a 'Prison'
For many affected, the museum's physical proximity to Post Office headquarters is profoundly unsettling. Alistdair Brown, whose 92-year-old mother Betty is the oldest wrongly convicted operator, explained the reaction from subpostmasters. "They never want to be seen in the place as it's far too close to the Post Office headquarters at Mount Pleasant," he said. "It's almost like walking back into some kind of prison again."
Burrows, who founded the Lost Chances charity to support affected families, said attending the museum "felt like betraying people." She experienced an anxiety attack during the visit, triggered by seeing Post Office-themed toys in the shop, which brought back painful childhood memories of her mother's conviction.
Official Responses and a Clash of Visions
An inquiry spokesperson stated the museum idea emerged from discussions with a focus group of operators, as one aspect of the legacy project. They acknowledged the difficulty of discussing the scandal and expressed gratitude to those who shared their views.
Laura Wright, chief executive of the Postal Museum, emphasised the importance of victims telling their stories in their own way. She said the aim was to partner with those affected, led by their wishes, but acknowledged building trust would take time and not all would want to be involved.
However, victims contest the origin of the idea. Burrows claimed the museum had never been suggested in previous legacy discussions, and the meeting was presented as if plans were already agreed. Brown echoed this, stating, "None of the subpostmaster representatives have called for this. It was something that came directly from the inquiry."
Tracey Merritt, a former Wincanton postmistress forced to work two jobs due to scandal-related debts, highlighted the current absence of postmasters from the museum's narrative. She challenged the notion of celebrating a company in the same space that would depict the harm it inflicted, asking how the two could be reconciled.
The strong opposition from core victims' representatives presents a significant challenge to the inquiry's legacy plans, underscoring the raw wounds and enduring institutional distrust that the Horizon scandal has left in its wake.
