Post Office to push ahead with closure plans
Ryan Taylor
The Post Office has announced it will push ahead with plans to close its branch in Lerwick’s Commercial Street.
The organisation says it reached its decision “following a period of local public consultation and review”.
As a result, post office services will be run from Conochies as of 27th February – the day after the long-standing post office branch closes.
The Post Office insists there will be three serving positions, one screened, one open plan and a Post Office serving point at the retail counter.
Opening hours will be extended.
Steve Blampied, Head of Post Office’s Directly Managed Network, said that the change to the franchise agreement would help to ensure the branch is commercially viable into the future and, therefore, protect Post Office services on which customers depend.
He said: “The Post Office is committed to keeping our services at the heart of communities which we know is hugely important to people.
“This change means we can continue to do that, into the future.
“We are making sure we take the right action to sustain services for years to come.”
Avalina Kreska
After reading this report and another report: Longer opening hours for Ollaberry post office
Moves to relaunch the Ollaberry post office service at the local shop have been given the stamp of approval.
https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2018/03/03/longer-opening-hours-ollaberry-post-office
I wanted to make an observation about Fetlar’s Post Office counter that is currently housed at the Fetlar Shop. There is ‘talk’ the ‘storage of the islanders post’ will possibly be moved but the Post Office front end ‘receiving of mail’ will remain at the shop. The question is why? To save money? How safe is the post once it is ensconced in domestic dwellings and I’m not talking about the probability of post being interfered with, (although this must be considered) but that with normal households, all sorts of problems can occur: dogs ravaging mail, fire, damp, spillages – the front door left open on a summers day…
I propose that this move away from secure areas must be thought about… and is this happening on other islands and is it successful? I would like to think that the public would be approached about this if it is to be the future – are the people of Fetlar going to be consulted? I wonder.