Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP, Tom Blenkinsop, has yesterday (26th February 2016) called on Post Office Counters to “think again” about newly revealed plans to relocate the Saltburn sub post office.
Tom said:
“Over the past week we have received news that yet again the privatized Post Office Counters business want to relocate long established branches in East Cleveland. A year back, it was in Brotton, where despite protests and what looked to be maladministration by the firm, the branch in the central High Street post office closed, and was relocated in a convenience store on an outlying village estate.
“Now they are looking to try and play the same game in Saltburn. They have just informed me that following the retirement of the present postmaster from the Station Square premises, they intend to set up a new counter in the Nisa mini-market store on the town’s Windsor Road.
“This, if it is allowed to slip through, will inconvenience many. The Station Square location is, handy for anyone wanting to combine their shopping with a visit to the post office as well. It is central to the town, and is opposite bus stops for buses going to Marske Mill Lane and Hob Hill and also along Marske Road.
“All this, in my opinion, will be lost in any move to Nisa. Not only is it not in the town centre, but it is also a walk from any bus stop. Anyone wanting to do more than food shopping and visit a post office will now be faced with a walk along Windsor Road.
“When we tried to stop the Brotton post office move we found that Post Office Counters had “omitted” to talk to other possible partners in the shape of the Co-op or Spar. I suspect the same may be true in Saltburn, and I will be asking if they had considered making an approach to Sainsbury’s on the Station Shopping site or to other shops in the town centre. I will, in any case, be making a formal objection to the move and asking for a Town Centre presence to be maintained.”