Will the siting of the Helpston Post Office at the Exeter Arms, Tuesdays to Fridays from 11am to 2pm, meet the needs of the villagers? That is what is being proposed by the Post Office in a consultation period that is due to end on the 2nd of June. Make sure your views are ‘aired’ by reading and responding to the Public Consultation document below.
Public Consultation - Service Relocation - Post Office, Helpston Branch
I am writing to let you know that we are proposing to re-open this service in a new location, at the Exeter Arms, 3 Church Lane, Helpston, PE6 7DT, a distance of 300 yards from its former location.
We want you and our customers to understand why we are considering this move, the facilities the new service will offer and how to contact us with your views. In preparing our plan, we have considered information specific to the local area. This includes access to public transport, the route and access to the new location, local population figures and other facilities available in the area.
Following the resignation of the subpostmaster and the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use, Helpston branch closed on a temporary basis on 22 September 2008. Since the closure of the branch, we have been actively working in the area to find an alternative way of providing Post Office services to Helpston. Customers would benefit from the following facilities at the new service:
1) A brand new, modern, purpose-built serving counter
2) Improved car parking facilities, with off-road parking available for customers
3) Open plan format.
Full details of the proposed new service, including range of facilities, opening hours, public transport route and access, are provided at the end of this letter. I would like to invite you to contact me in writing, at the address below. We welcome all comments and feedback, however, we would particularly like your views on the following questions:
1) Do you have any comments about the proposed opening hours?
2) Do you have any comments about access and facilities at the new location?
3) Are there any local issues specific to Helpston you would like us to consider?
Please feel free to contact our National Consultation Team at the address below, who will co-ordinate all responses on my behalf. Please note that your comments will not be kept confidential unless you expressly ask us to do so by clearly marking ‘In Confidence”. If you do wish to contact me, please note that 2 June 2009 is the closing date for all enquiries.
At the end of the consultation period I will review any feedback received from customers and local representatives, and confirm my final decision on this proposal. If the decision is taken to proceed with the proposal, I expect the new service to open during July 2009.
This consultation is being carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice for Network Change, as agreed with Consumer Focus, the national consumer organisation. A full copy of the Code of Practice is available on our website at www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange, and selecting FAQs, or by contacting us at the address provided at the end of this letter.
Thank you for taking the time to consider our proposal. The final decision will be communicated within the branch, by means of a poster, following the end of the public consultation period.
Yours faithfully
Mike J Ball
Field Change Advisor
How to contact us:
By post:
Post Office Limited
c/o National Consultation Team
PO Box 2060
Watford
WD18 8ZW
By email:
consultation@postoffice.co.uk
Customer Helpline 08457 22 33 44
Text: 08457 22 33 55
Details of the proposed service:
Helpston Partner Outreach Service, Exeter Arms, 3 Church Lane, Helpston PE6 7DT
Opening Times: Tue-Fri 11.00am-2.00pm (Closed Sat/Sun/Mon)
Services: A wide range of services will be available including Banking Services, Bill Payment Schemes, Postage & Savings Stamps, Post Office Card Account and a limited postage service.
Access and Facilities: There is a step with a wide doorway at the entrance to the branch.
Parking: Free off road parking with more than ten spaces available
Route: New branch approx 300 yards from old site along mainly flat terrain.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
We feel that the opening times are restrictive and would not be of benefit to people like us who work full time. We also feel that the Post Office should remain an intergral part of the village shop, which we understand may be reopening shortly. The village shop is a vital and essential hub of the community, which needs to include the post office to serve the villagers and surrounding areas needs.
I feel very strongly that the original site of the Post Office on West Street is the best location for the post office. A village the size of Helpston really needs a shop and Post Office and I hope that the sale of the premises on West Street goes through as that would serve the village best - the proposed hours of opening at the Exeter Arms will not be of much help to people who work full time like myself.