Kentish Express Ashford & District
POST OFFICE SHUTS FOR GOOD
END OF AN ERA AS SERVICE MOVES TO WHSMITH
Ashford’s historic Post Office branch which has served the town for almost 100 years closed yesterday (Wednesday).
The service has now moved to WHSmith after the Tufton Street branch shut its doors for the final time at 5.30pm.
All services - except the cash machine - will be available in the high street book retailer.
Four serving counters have been installed in the shop and the Post Office opening hours have also been revised.
It will now open from 9am to 5.30pm from Monday to Saturday.
On Sundays, it will open from 10am to 2pm.
The unlisted three-storey building in Tufton Street is now on the market for offers in excess of £825,000.
Bosses at BNP Paribas Real Estate company are advertising the 8,118 sq ft unit as a building suitable for redevelopment.
It is on a 99-year lease which is dated from 1977 - providing an unexpired term of approximately 57 years for potential buyers.
The Post Office has spent almost 100 years at its current Tufton Street spot, following its move from Bank Street in 1926.
Ashford historian Steve Salter photographed the site this week.
He said: “The purpose-built Post Office, which also housed the town’s telephone exchange until 1964, replaced the town centre’s previous dedicated Post Office at 2a Bank Street (now the home of Duet Group).
“The Tufton Street site comprises a colossal maze of rooms staggered over ground, first and second floors stretching back to the service yard of County Square.
“On the first floor, the offices of the head postmaster and assistant postmaster were situated at the very front of the building, with the cloakrooms, first aid room and rest rooms to the side.
“The second floor, a probable extension to the original building and appearing largely unused for decades, is a quiet room, kitchen and dining room for up to 20 people.
“Judging by the rooms on the upper floors, the Post Office has concentrated its efforts of the appearance of the customer areas.
“Looking round the upper floors was like going back in time with a mixture of 1950s to 1980s décor and a complete mismatch of fixtures and fittings from different eras.
“One room to the rear that had once served as a dining room, has notices on its notice board dating back to 1978.
“It is terribly sad that the Post Office is closing and to see the run down appearance behind the scenes of a once widely used building.
“The property lends itself to a decent restaurant such as a high-quality eatery over two floors.
“Something different, something quirky along the lines of the Bill’s restaurant in Canterbury or even a conversion to a small arcade of specialist shops.
“A conversion to residential is wholly inappropriate and unacceptable. One would hope that a worthy and sustainable long-term occupier would take the building and restore it sympathetically.”