THE future of Melksham Post Office has come under the spotlight again as more post office services have become franchised in retail stores in nearby towns. Local councillor, Vanessa Fiorelli, says she fears it will only be a matter of time before the same could happen in Melksham.
The Post Office has recently announced the closure of 74 crown-owned branches across the country, choosing to franchise their services in retail store WHSmith. The total number of post offices to be operated by WHSmith will grow from the current 135 to just over 200.
Melksham is a crown-owned post office, which means it is directly owned and run by Post Office Limited. They are able to carry out government services such as passports and driving licence applications, and also pension collections which are not available at franchised facilities.
Cllr Vanessa Fiorelli said, “With the news of Trowbridge closing, it will be a tricky situation for Melksham. Being the last crown-owned post office in west Wiltshire, it will put pressure on the staff as there will be reduced services elsewhere.”
In 2013, there was concern that Melksham Post Office may close and a public meeting reinforced the need to keep the main post office in the town.
Now, following the latest announcement, Post Office network and sales director Roger Gale said, “WHSmith and Post Office have worked together successfully for more than a decade and our collaboration helps to secure our services on high streets for years to come.
“We’re continuing to respond to unprecedented change on high streets and in consumer trends. By adapting to the needs of customers we’re making sure post offices will matter as much tomorrow as they do today, with services available when and where people want them, in convenient locations and open for longer hours, including Sundays.
“The vast majority of the Post Office’s network of 11,500 post office branches, large and small, are run on a franchise or agency basis with retailers as part of thriving businesses. We are, therefore, keen to further expand this successful, sustainable, way of providing post office services to local communities across the country. Relocations of post office branches are subject to six-week local public consultations. These will be announced in the relevant areas when there are detailed plans.”
Rob Wotherspoon, branch secretary of the Communication Workers Union, who represent employees at Royal Mail said, “Staff members in this once great public institution have been sounding the alarm for several years that the Post Office is being run into the ground. Now they face losing their jobs, to be replaced with workers on minimum wage. It is now clear that no office is safe as 1/3 of the network faces privatisation through the back door.
“Melksham is not currently targeted for closure. However given the latest announcement, my prediction would be that it will be under threat within the next few years.”
Bath is also amongst the affected Post Office branches.