Two Post Offices are set to close in Plymouth in a huge blow to those who rely on their vital services.
The branches affected are Tamerton Foliot Post Office at Tamerton Village Stores on Fore Street and the Post Office at Morrisons Daily on Crownhill Road.
The Tamerton Foliot branch is due to close at 8.30pm on Wednesday (1 July) after the new buyer decided not to take on the Post Office element of the store.
Post Office bosses have said they are “working hard” to keep any period of closure to a minimum and are investigating options to restore a service to the local area.
The nearest branch is 1.6 miles away at Whitleigh Green, nearly a one-hour round trip by bus.
There will be no Post Office in the Southway ward should this final remaining branch close, despite major housing plans in the area.
Paul Butler, the long-serving owner of Tamerton Village Stores, said he was unhappy with how the news came out before he had been able to tell staff and customers himself.
In an emotional statement posted on social media, he said he had made the difficult decision to step back at the age of 66 after 13 years running the shop and Post Office. He said:
“There comes a time in life when you have to think about retiring. At the age of 66 that time has come for me.
"I have worked extremely hard over my life and it’s time for me to take a step back and try to enjoy the rest of my life.”
He added that it had been “one of the hardest decisions” of his life because he had loved running the shop and being part of the village community.
The owner has been trying to sell the business for around four years but said it was increasingly difficult to secure a buyer willing to take on the Post Office.
He said running the Post Office had become stressful, with the financial rewards “not great, if any at all”, and said rising overheads made it difficult for a new owner to justify keeping it.
He also pointed to the loss of many services which once helped make the Post Office viable, including bill payments, car tax, travel insurance, foreign currency, banking, TV licensing, Premium Bonds and fishing licences, with more people now doing those things online.
The shop is expected to remain under new ownership, with the owner saying the incoming buyer has “great plans” and is expected to introduce more parcel carrier services, as well as options such as cash withdrawals through a cash machine or cashback and bill payments through PayPoint. He added:
“Though the Post Office may be going, many of the services and probably a few more will still be available.”
The owner said the Post Office is expected to close ahead of the sale completion date of 6 July. He said:
“I want to thank every one of the villagers who have supported me, the staff and the shop over the years.
"Though I will not be there, please give your support to the new owners, like you have to me. If you do, then the village will have a great shop for many years to come.”
Local councillor Carol Ney (Reform UK, Southway) said:
"Everyone should respond to the consultation so the Post Office can hopefully look into replacing the service within the ward.
"Sadly this is the last post office in the Southway ward and ideally we need another business to take it on. A lot of residents are worried."
Residents can have their say by responding to the Post Office consultation by emailing comments@postoffice.co.uk, quoting Tamerton Foliot PL5 4NA - 275539 before 11 June.
A second closure is also expected at the Post Office based in Morrisons Daily on Crownhill Road.
Fred Thomas MP (Labour, Moor View) has heard “lots of concerns” from residents about the two upcoming closures. He said:
“Post offices are a vital service for our community, and I’ve heard lots of concerns from residents about two upcoming closures – in Morrisons on Crownhill Road and in Tamerton Village Stores.
“I went to both to talk to staff about the closures and what can be done. The Post Office have assured us that they are working hard to find solutions and will shortly be inviting applications for anyone interested in running a post office in these communities.
“It’s a difficult issue to fix as it was the store owner’s decision. But I’ll keep folks updated about alternative provision, and do what I can to make sure we have sufficient services for local residents.”
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