A Shropshire post office set to close its doors this week has been saved at the eleventh hour.
Castlefields Post Office, in Shrewsbury, was due to close on Wednesday after the Midcounties Co-Operative announced it was shutting the store for financial reasons.
But residents have now been told the post office will remain open with an interim sub-postmaster taking over before a permanent sub-postmaster is installed.
Campaigners today said it was a result for people power as a battle had been going on to ensure the future of the post office was secured. They had raised serious concerns about the effect the closure of the post office would have had on local people.
In a letter, Mike Dalton, from Post Office Ltd, said: “There has been a positive change of situation regarding Castlefields Post Office branch.
“The branch was due to close on Wednesday. However, thanks to continued efforts of my Post Office Ltd colleagues, an interim sub-postmaster has been identified who can take on the management of the branch until the proposed long-term sub-postmaster’s application has been processed.
“With Co-op/Stars newsagent now allowing for a slight extension to their resignation, which will see the branch close for an audit - normal practice during a change of management - on Friday morning the branch should reopen later that day or the following day.”
But Mr Dalton said the long-term future would not be assured until a lease deal had been agreed with the owners of the building and the prospective sub-postmaster had cleared the application process.
Alan Mosley, the Shropshire county councillor representing Castlefields, said: “I am absolutely delighted with the news and the residents of Castlefields will be too. They greatly feared the loss of services that the temporary closure would mean.
“This seems to resolve a lot of uncertainty about the future of the branch.”
Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, said: “Together we have worked hard to make sure that the Post Office does everything possible to make sure the residents of Castlefields have this facility.”
By John Kirk and Rhea Parsons
2 Comments
A result for common sense.
Shock!Post Office Ltd. saves post office(which seems strange since they shut branches )
It was the efforts made by residents of Castlefields that saved it from being closed,not Post Office Ltd.No doubt it will be on their hitlist of closures.