Fraserburgh post office branch could remain open
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Post Office users in Fraserburgh have been given hope of their branch remaining open after it was decided not to close the service at the end of next month as previously planned.
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid said the decision to not shut the branch on Mid Street will come as a “huge relief” to the Fraserburgh community who faced having just one post office (St Modan’s Place) in the town if the closure went ahead.
In an update given to Mr Duguid, the Post Office said while the postmaster has decided not to fully withdraw their resignation yet, the operator has decided not to close at the end of September.
Instead, they have agreed to work with the service to reduce the size of the post office and expand their pharmacy.
The Post Office has also said it has allocated funding to allow this to happen so the service can be saved in the centre of the town.
The Mid Street branch is one of the largest in the north-east and applicants for the postmaster position were given until August 8 to voice an interest in taking over the facility.
Following the progress in keeping the branch open, Mr Duguid said: “While the future of the post office on Mid Street hasn’t yet been fully secured, the fact the closure has been taken off the table will come as a huge relief to the community who I know were worried about the prospect of the service shutting.
“It’s vital residents, especially our most vulnerable, have access to a local post office which is why keeping two in the town the size of Fraserburgh is so important.
“I have had regular discussions with the Post Office since the postmaster vacancy was announced in July and I want to praise the work of the organisation in helping to come to a compromise with the postmaster.
“As well as traditional postal service, such as assistance with parcels, post offices such as Mid Street also provide a lifeline to people for banking and cash services – particularly as more and more local bank branches close parcel assistance.
“I hope the ongoing negotiations to secure a long-term future for the Mid Street Post Office will be successful and that residents will have uninterrupted access to the valued services that the branch provides.”
In the response to Mr Duguid, a spokesman for the Post Office said: “Fraserburgh was due to close at the end of September. The current operators have said that the current model is not working for them and have handed in their resignation.
“Since then, the field team has spoken to them to see if we can help make things easier for them and therefore allow them to stay on. Thankfully, there does seem to be ways in which we can do this.
“One is to reduce the space taken by the current branch to allow more room for the pharmacy. We have also allocated a bit of funding to assist with this.
“Whilst we are working with them, the postmaster has decided not to close at the end of September. They haven’t fully withdrawn their resignation yet but our hope would be that we can come to a solution and meet everybody’s needs and therefore keep the branch open.”
