Postmasters can't sell Post Office stores as brand is 'toxic'

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https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/som ... ce-9364794

Victims of the Post Office scandal have expressed feelings of being trapped within their branches, as the Horizon scandal has deterred prospective buyers from taking over their businesses.

Subpostmasters eager to sell have found that the growing awareness of past injustices has frightened off potential buyers. Anyone interested in taking on an existing or new branch must undergo a stringent approval process with the Post Office (PO), but due to the scandal, the brand is now considered 'toxic', according to owners.

The difficulty in attracting buyers means that many local communities are at risk of losing their only PO branch, as reported by Retail Express. The Post Office says it believes 'customers recognise their value and are continuing to distinguish between PO's appalling past behaviour in the Horizon scandal, and today's postmasters, who are the lifeblood of their communities and provide essential services'

Christopher Dubery, of Dulverton Post Office in Somerset, has plans to depart the branch in September, having had it on the market for a year.

He added: "We're partly not getting interest because of the scandal, but also because of remuneration being rubbish. The money just isn't there. Across west Somerset and north Devon, more than 14 branches have closed over the past 15 months. 'They've had enough. If I was looking to buy a post office now, that would put me off, irrespective of how much income I'd get.

Graham Livesey, who runs the Beehive in Staveley, Cumbria, revealed that his PO branch has been on the market since 2015 without a single viewing. He cited the "main reason" for the lack of interest as "no one wants to run a post office anymore, with the Horizon scandal having taken the money".

Graham added: "I can't run a post office anymore after what PO did. I know three branches in South Cumbria that recorded shortfalls, and a lot of little village branches have shut down and not successfully relocated.

"I had shortfalls. I declared and paid them back. I was hit by one massive shortfall, which I reported. PO told me I was the only one. Watching the recent ITV drama, you know what was going on behind the scenes. The business is marketed at a realistic price, and I haven't even put the asking price up. PO is a toxic attachment," as reports the Mirror.

Rosalind Cobb, who along with her husband has lodged a claim for historic shortfalls from the Horizon scandal, is set to retire after failing to find a buyer for their branch over the past two years. The owner of the Llangefni, Anglesey branch stated: "We don't think we had a buyer of our post office because of the Horizon scandal."

In response, a spokesperson for PO told Retail Express: "We're saddened to hear that there are current postmasters who no longer want to operate a post office. We firmly believe customers recognise their value and are continuing to distinguish between PO's appalling past behaviour in the Horizon scandal, and today's postmasters, who are the lifeblood of their communities and provide essential services."