Special Bulletins

Special communication bulletins to branch managers and staff containing instructions on the day to day running of branches. The bulletins came from Branch Administration.

The bulletins were originally referred to as a 'Special Bulletin' but in the last few years were referred to as a 'Special Communication Bulletin'. The last bulletin was number 238/94 on 28 May 1994, after which they were replaced by 'Spotlight' bulletins.

The numbering of the Special Bulletins was combined with that of the Daily Bulletins either in the form [number]/[two digit year] (e.g. 101/85 for the 101st daily or special bulletin in 1985) or previously as [two digit year]/[number] (e.g 59/183 for the 183rd bulletin in 1959).

Most of the bulletins were sent to all branches plus 'normal bulletin recipients' (which it seems likely refers to head office and regional office staff who also received a copy of the bulletin for reference). Some were however not relevant to all and were sent to specific types of branches or individually named branches such as 'scanning branches' (branches with barcode scanning checkouts), branches stocking particular products or with particular facilities, branches served by a particular depot, and occasionally there were bulletins for just one or two specific branches.