Future of Boxford Post Office near Sudbury under threat

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24574161.fu ... ry-threat/

A Suffolk village store which is one of Britain's oldest shops could be under threat as part of proposals which would see its Post Office hours potentially cut.

Richard Haining, the subpostmaster at Boxford Stores, near Sudbury, questioned the "thinking" of the Post Office after he was told his exceptional payments, which 130 stores across the country currently receive, could be halved.

Under the proposals put forward to Mr Haining, from January the exceptional payment would be cut from £2,700 to £1,350 and the hours of the store reduced from 50 to 30.

A review undertaken by the Post Office recently concluded it needs to re-align its resources and changes to how the payments are allocated.

However, no changes will be made until later this autumn while a strategic review into the company is carried out.

"This is a moral issue more than a payments issue," Mr Haining said.

"I said I can't believe you are even thinking of doing this at the moment.

"With the current climate, postmasters are loved all around the country and the Post Office reputation is on the floor. We should not be raising this issue at the moment. This should not be happening.

"My real question was 'do you want to close Post Offices?' That's what going to happen. These offices will close because people won't be able to afford it."

The store Mr Haining runs is considered one of the oldest in England, with a recorded trading history dating back to 1420.

It is thought Mr Haining's store is one of the nine which have received letters from the Post Office.

He raised the issue with the ongoing Post Office inquiry into the Horizon scandal, and it is due to be discussed when it resumes later this month.

South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge said: "I was absolutely appalled to learn of potential changes to the Post Office rural contract at Boxford which could threaten the viability of the service.

"I know just how passionate subpostmaster Richard Haining is about serving the village and I will be writing to the Government Post Office Minister, and the Post Office Ltd, to ask for clarity on any contract changes which might see reduced hours of service."

A spokesperson for the Post Office said: “The Post Office regularly reviews provision across the network to ensure it is using its limited resources to continue to provide a stable network of Post Offices for communities throughout the UK."