Concerns raised as Newton Mearns post office set to close

The Post Office has announced that the branch located at The Avenue Shopping Centre in Newton Mearns is to close temporarily from September.

The Post Office confirmed the closure in a letter.

It said: “We are writing to inform you that, regrettably, following the resignation of the operator and the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use, the above branch will be closing temporarily on Saturday 14 September 2019 at 12:30.

“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 as soon as possible.

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“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.

“I would like to assure you that we are currently investigating the options available which will enable us to reinstate a Post Office service to the local community. In exploring this, it is important that any future service is sustainable for the person operating the service, and for Post Office Limited.

Newton Mearns has suffered from the withdrawal of postal services in recent times with the branch at the Broom Shops closing in August 2018 and now with the news that there will be no Post Office at The Avenue for the foreseeable future.

The Post Office are advertising for a new retail partner to take over postal operations at The Avenue and are also looking for expressions of interest to be submitted for the resumption of the service at Broomvale.

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In the absence of a postal service being present at The Avenue, customers are being re-directed to the Crookfur Post Office at Harvie Avenue and the Fenwick Road Post Office in Giffnock.

Jackson Carlaw MSP and Paul Masterton MP have written to the Post Office expressing concerns over the closure.

Jackson Carlaw MSP for Eastwood stated: “Newton Mearns has been badly impacted by the withdrawal of postal services in Eastwood over the past couple of years with the Broomvale Post Office closing last August and confirmation now being received that the branch at The Avenue is to close from mid-September.

“Paul and I have written to the Post Office regarding the temporary closure at The Avenue and stressed the importance of efforts to find a new retail partner being stepped up.

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“With the long term temporary removal of other postal services such as at Broomvale and Eaglesham, the possibility of a lengthy period with no alternative operator being found for the branch at The Avenue will be a concern for many people living locally as it is for us as the elected representatives.”

Paul Masterton MP for East Renfrewshire said: “It’s hugely disappointing that the highly valued Post Office service at The Avenue is to close in September. This is a real blow to local residents who have already seen services lost with the closure of the Post Office at the Broom shops last year.

“Easy access to the Post Office is of vital concern to many people, and we have stressed in our letter that restoring provision in the local area must be a priority.

“I have met with many local sub-postmasters from across East Renfrewshire who have all said they struggle to make offering a Post Office in their shop a viable business operation, with many of the services effectively being provided at a loss.

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“I will continue to lobby Government Ministers and the Post Office to wake up to the impact of these closures on communities and look seriously at the current funding model so we can get the local network back.”

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