WORCESTER'S main post office building will close within two months and be sold to the highest bidder soon afterwards, officials have revealed.
A spokesman for the Royal Mail told your Worcester News the company expects the branch's controversial relocation into the first floor of WHSmith to be completed "towards the end of May".
WHSmith has confirmed the new branch of the post office will open on Thursday, May 22, with the
current premises expectedto close for the last time the previous day.
The Foregate Street branch is one of 40 Crown Post Offices being sold off around the country for an estimated £20 million, following the Royal Mail's deal with WHSmith last year. Reports suggest many will be turned into restaurants, bars and shops.
"We own the Foregate Street building, so we will be putting it on the market once the move has taken place," the Royal Mail spokesman said. "We expect the move to be completed towards the end of May."
Planning officials at Worcester City Council said the building's new owners would not need planning permission if they wanted to use it as a shop. The post office's relocation provoked massive public outcry in Worcester when it was announced last year.
The new branch in WHSmith will be 300 yards away from the current site and accessible by escalator and lift, but will have only eight counters rather than the current 12. Staff have been told they must re-apply for their jobs. Worcester's Labour MP Mike Foster said: "I have made my objection to this move very clear to the Royal Mail. In particular I have serious concerns over accessibility on the first floor of WHSmith. "
And the city's Conservative party candidate Robin Walker, who helped collect a 1,000-name petition against the move last year, was in full agreement.
"People will be very disappointed they haven't been listened to," he said.
A spokesman for WHSmith said: "At a time when many post offices are at risk of closure, our partnership secures the future of the main post office in Worcester."
How often do you use Post Offices anyway? Vote in our online poll on the main news page here and discuss this thorny issue in depth in our Your Say section here.
7:08am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Richard, Worcester on 10:00am Thu 27 Mar 08
How can Mike Foster possibly maintain his objection to this after he voted against a motion to stop post office sell-offs just last week?
Hypocritical, or what? I hope he's got a new job lined up for 2010 - he's going to need it.
How can Mike Foster possibly maintain his objection to this after he voted against a motion to stop post office sell-offs just last week?
Hypocritical, or what? I hope he's got a new job lined up for 2010 - he's going to need it.
Posted by: Alan2, Worcester on 11:01am Thu 27 Mar 08
A lot of New Labour MPs campaigned in their constituences against the closure of Post Offices in their constituences but in effect voted for closure in the House. They must have thought that their constituents had no means of knowing how they voted in the debate.
You can bet Richard, those MPs that practiced this deceit and hypocracy will have an answer, albeit, it will be an insult to their constituents.
A lot of New Labour MPs campaigned in their constituences against the closure of Post Offices in their constituences but in effect voted for closure in the House. They must have thought that their constituents had no means of knowing how they voted in the debate.
You can bet Richard, those MPs that practiced this deceit and hypocracy will have an answer, albeit, it will be an insult to their constituents.
Posted by: John Wylds, Worcester on 11:23am Thu 27 Mar 08
But there will still be a Post Office. It's not as if the Post office on The Foregate is closing and not beiong replaced by another.
But there will still be a Post Office. It's not as if the Post office on The Foregate is closing and not beiong replaced by another.
Posted by: Richard, Worcester on 11:28am Thu 27 Mar 08
Alan2 - does Mr. Foster ever read the WN website comments?
Alan2 - does Mr. Foster ever read the WN website comments?
Posted by: Sally, Worcester on 11:57am Thu 27 Mar 08
The new post office is only going to be accessible by a horribly claustraphobic lift to some people.
The new post office is only going to be accessible by a horribly claustraphobic lift to some people.
Posted by: Sally, Worcester on 11:57am Thu 27 Mar 08
The new post office is only going to be accessible by a horribly claustraphobic lift to some people.
The new post office is only going to be accessible by a horribly claustraphobic lift to some people.
Posted by: Logik, worcester on 4:42pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote]Worcester's Labour MP Mike Foster said: "I have made my objection to this move very clear to the Royal Mail.[/quote]
One position for the Worcester electorate and the complete opposite in the House of Commons.
I find it very hard to believe anything he says now!
For those who want to see what their MP does, wherever you are, check out:-
www.theyworkforyou.c
om
Worcester's Labour MP Mike Foster said: "I have made my objection to this move very clear to the Royal Mail.
One position for the Worcester electorate and the complete opposite in the House of Commons.
I find it very hard to believe anything he says now!
For those who want to see what their MP does, wherever you are, check out:-
www.theyworkforyou.c
om
Posted by: Trappy, Malvern on 5:53pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]John Wylds[/bold] wrote:
But there will still be a Post Office. It's not as if the Post office on The Foregate is closing and not beiong replaced by another. [/quote] I agree, and with most of the services offered at the post office offered else where, if we didn't have one, would it really be missed.
John Wylds wrote:
But there will still be a Post Office. It's not as if the Post office on The Foregate is closing and not beiong replaced by another.
I agree, and with most of the services offered at the post office offered else where, if we didn't have one, would it really be missed.
Posted by: varien, worcester on 5:58pm Thu 27 Mar 08
About two weeks ago W H Smith had an advert in the Worcester News for "Sales Assistants" for their new in-branch post office. Rate of pay offered was £5.82 per hour, a little over the minimum pay rate. I think counter assistants who worked for the post office in Foregate Street were paid a lot more than this.
About two weeks ago W H Smith had an advert in the Worcester News for "Sales Assistants" for their new in-branch post office. Rate of pay offered was £5.82 per hour, a little over the minimum pay rate. I think counter assistants who worked for the post office in Foregate Street were paid a lot more than this.
Posted by: hotfuzz, Stourport on 8:58pm Thu 27 Mar 08
What a joke. As a regular Post Office user - I have often been frustrated by the [bold]immense queues[/bold] spilling out into the street from the Foregate Street Post Office. Now there's going to be[bold] less counters[/bold] open in a [bold]claustrophobic little shop.[/bold] [italic]italic[/italic] Furthermore, the plans are to close more branch ones out of town and in the rural [bold]- the lunatics have finally taken over the asylum!!!![/bold]
What a joke. As a regular Post Office user - I have often been frustrated by the
immense queues spilling out into the street from the Foregate Street Post Office. Now there's going to be
less counters open in a
claustrophobic little shop. Furthermore, the plans are to close more branch ones out of town and in the rural
- the lunatics have finally taken over the asylum!!!!
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