Post office services at ‘crisis’ point as another north Wales branch announces closure

Dale Spridgeon Local Democracy Reporter

Postal services in a north Wales county are at “crisis point” after the Post Office confirmed the “unplanned closure” of another branch.

The High Street branch in Criccieth will shut at the end of January.

A Post Office letter stated that the closure was due to a resignation of the Postmaster and subsequent loss of the use of the building and that the position was now being advertised.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts said the closure would not just affect Criccieth as the Postmaster runs a  mobile van service for around 25 communities across Gwynedd and the Llŷn Peninsula. Mrs Sville Robers said communities are now  “bearing the brunt of serious failings in the strategic planning and delivery of Post Office services”.

The Criccieth closure follows announcements recently that the future of the Crown Post Office in Caernarfon was also under threat.

Letter

The Post Office, in a letter explained why the Criccieth branch was closing: “…regrettably, following the resignation of the postmaster and the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use”. The High Street branch would be closing at 5.30pm, on Friday  January 31.

“The provision of a Post Office service to our customers in the local community is important to us, and we will continue to work hard to restore services in the area.

“We would welcome any applications from potential retail partners interested in running a branch locally on our behalf.

“The vacancy is currently being advertised on our website www.runapostoffice.co.uk and applications will be carefully considered. If you are aware of any interested parties, please do share the link with them,” the Post Office stated,

Mrs Saville Roberts said the closure would make life harder for those living in rural communities: “The closure of Criccieth Post Office has implications beyond the town itself as the current Postmaster also operates a weekly mobile outreach and van service to a total of twenty-five communities across Gwynedd.

“There also remains no Post Office service inNefyn which closed partly because staff no longer had faith in the computer systems following the fallout from the Horizon scandal.”

“Vitally important”

Mrs Saville Roberts, who raised these matters with former Minister Kevin Hollinrake prior to the general election, has called on the new Labour government to ensure the Post Office does not put profit before the needs of rural communities.

She said: “This is yet another blow to our rural communities coming only a week or so since the Post Office announced their Caernarfon branch was under threat.

“Rural branches such as Criccieth serve a much wider area than the town itself and considering the widespread closure of other face-to-face banking services, the need to maintain a Post office presence is vitally important.

“Given that the Post Office has a commitment to ensure that 95% of the total rural population is within three miles of a Post Office outlet, and that 95% of the population of every postcode district is within six miles of an outlet, I want to know how the Post Office proposes to maintain both these commitments in light of the closure of the Criccieth branch.

“I also seek clarity on the future provision of mobile outreach services to communities currently served by the Criccieth Postmaster.