Local campaigners who launched the “Save Paignton Post Office” campaign have welcomed news a franchise deal has been reached which will keep Paignton Post Office open.
Their comments followed the Post Office announcing a second tranche of franchise deals for their remaining directly managed branches.
The deal announced by the Post Office will see Paignton Post Office remain open and be taken over by a new franchisee, South Coast Retail Ltd. In April the Post Office announced its last 108 Directly Managed Branches, including Paignton Post Office, would be franchised by the autumn.
Staff at Paignton Post Office will be offered the choice of moving to work for the new franchisee of their branch or taking voluntary redundancy. It is understood Paignton Post Office will continue to operate from its current building for now, although this could change in the long-term depending on the franchisee’s future plans.
South Coast Retail is based in Dorset and headed by Liam Searle. Liam is the third generation of his family connected to Post Office branches. Both his Grandmother and Father worked at Directly Managed Branches as counter clerks. The 36-year-old now operates successful branches in Dorchester, Sherborne, Swanage, and Weymouth, plus three outreach services for three communities in the Swanage area. A banking hub will also open in Sherborne this month. The retail offering at his branches is cards, stationery, gifts and soft drinks.
The deal announced by the Post Office will see South Coast Retail take over the franchise of six directly-managed Post Offices in Devon & Cornwall: Paignton, Liskeard, Mutley, Newquay, Bideford & Teignmouth. Other Post Offices in Torbay are not affected.
When the Post Office first announced it was reviewing the future of Paignton Post Office, hundreds of worried residents rushed to sign a petition organised by Kevin Foster and Peter Middleton calling for it to be saved. Their campaign was also backed by Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith MP, who heard first-hand the impact closing Paignton Post Office would have on the local community and Paignton Town Centre.
Reacting to the franchise news Kevin Foster said: “This announcement is welcome news and ends a period of uncertainty about the future of Paignton Post Office. The campaign to Save Paignton Post Office showed how much it and the team there are valued by the local community who use and rely on it.”
“Whilst it’s welcome news Paignton Post Office will stay open, it will feel less of a victory for those who work were, as their direct employment by the national Post Office will end. This includes those who have dedicated many years of service to the Post Office, which I know all who supported this campaign would like to thank them for.”
Royal Mail’s Paignton delivery office, located next to Paignton Post Office, is not affected by this announcement.
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