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Post Offices (or lack thereof)


AnneMarriott

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I have just learned that the Post Office in Eton (actually it's a counter in the local Budgens) has closed "temporarily due to operational reasons".  As far as I can tell the operational reasons are that it had never operated properly since it was moved three years ago to Budgens from Eton Stationers, where we enjoyed excellent service for decades.  When it moved to Budgens we were promised extended opening hours and additional services.  Out of four attempts to carry out a transaction there I succeeded just once, to post a card to Australia.  The extended opening hours remained a pipe dream, ("we're trying to work towards it", said the manager) the computer crashed and "there's no-one who knows how to do that" were reasons for the three unsuccessful attempts.  The post office in Datchet is now closed for the second time in three years.  The one in London Road Langley closed months ago and there's no sign of a replacement.  So now residents of Eton have the choice of Windsor, Eton Wick or Slough High Street.  None of them far but only Windsor is walking distance and only that for the very fit.  Public transport thin on the ground and parking a nightmare everywhere.  Not happy!

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There is a post office in the Stourbridge High Street but you can only pick up parcels there. It's all fitted out with counters but to post anything, pay road tax, etc you have to go down the road where they are renting a shop fitted out as a post office. Madness.

 

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3 hours ago, trog said:

There is a post office in the Stourbridge High Street but you can only pick up parcels there. It's all fitted out with counters but to post anything, pay road tax, etc you have to go down the road where they are renting a shop fitted out as a post office. Madness.

 

That's really weird!

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Funny how they always seem to have "operational difficulties" once they've moved from their original post offices, isn't it?  I've now had to increase my charges for certificates since my local one moved, as I now have to travel that much further and take public transport, simply to be able to get a stiffened A4 envelope in the post :(

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On 04/06/2018 at 10:36, trog said:

There is a post office in the Stourbridge High Street but you can only pick up parcels there. It's all fitted out with counters but to post anything, pay road tax, etc you have to go down the road where they are renting a shop fitted out as a post office. Madness.

 


is  the first local actually a Royal Mail  Local Delivery Office  ( they used to be sorting offices  before  post call came pre sorted  from the mail hubs)  counter  ?   the  counter  at  my local  LDO / Parcel force depot  has big signs  saying ' we are not a Post Office Counter'   

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sounds reminiscent of something ... oh, I know.  The way London Transport rerouted the then newish bus service to go straight past our front door a matter of weeks after we'd sold the place.  Then re-rerouted it again to go past the end of our cul-de-sac not that long after I'd moved out of there.  Figures.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Our village post office relocated recently and now only opens 9-12 Monday to Friday. So for anyone who works outside the village it’s impossible to pick up a parcel unless a kindly neighbour will pop down and pick it up. 

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Not mentioned so far is that banks are closing down everywhere and the CEO of one went on radio and said that post offices would be taking on the work of banks in the future so we should all go there instead.  He didn't mention that post offices are closing at an even faster rate than banks.

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Yes in Rottingdean high street it's gone from four banks to none now!!  There used to be a Lloyds a Barclays a Nat West and a Nationwide The last one ( Lloyds) closed in March.....the Barclays is now a Costa coffee shop ....the others have all turned into shops most of which only seem to survive for about two years as well.

Anyway older people would now  have to take a three to four mile bus journey in one direction or the other to get to a bank now. However there is still a very good post office still operating so hope that doesn't go to!! 

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Yes at the local Tesco there ....the small kind ....so can get money out etc as well as in the Post Office.

Down the bottom of my road in Saltdean there is a small row of shops with a Co-op in and can get money there but hate walking back up the steep hill afterwards .....I know I know should be a sinch with all the ballet I do but still hate it!! 

Im okay personally as I'm always in either Brighton or Lewes so can do banking there but I do feel sorry for the older people in Rottingdean who have lost all the banks and now the Doctors as well!!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

The main office in Bishop's Stortford - sorting office, big yard at the back, etc - closed and shrunk into a small shop across the road a couple of months ago.  Driving past there on Monday, we could see filming of some sort in progress, and today's local paper says it was for a Spiderman film.  So, be of good cheer, these premises may have wider uses!

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