Boost for under fire post office
But it remains up for sale
Bashir Naeem is all smiles outside his Scone branch A Perthshire post office branch will increase its opening hours - just weeks after it was put up for sale on Gumtree.
Owner Bash Naeem has revealed Scone Post Office will be open six days a week starting from October 17.
But the Post Office counter, and adjoining convenience store, on Angus Road, Scone remains up for sale on Gumtree with a starting price of £130,000.
The branch has been under the spotlight after receiving criticism earlier in the year for closing abruptly at the end of April for “further staff training”, only to reopen again the following month.
However the new announcement comes as a welcome boost for the area.
The branch will be open from 9am until 5.30pm on weekdays and from 9am to 3pm on Saturdays. It currently only operates three days a week.
Mr Naeem, who has owned the branch for just over a year, revealed he will throw a party to mark the return to full hours: “There will be a bouncy castle and many other things happening and we will have it at the front of the shop.
“It’s much better for the Scone community.
“We held a survey to ask people what they thought and had a great response.
“Obviously we would like to thank the community for helping us through that time.
“I am very pleased with where we live and we can make it work and ensure a better quality of service for the people of Scone.
“They have been waiting for this. We just want to reassure them that the shop is going to be back and better than ever.”
Despite the news, the shop with still be up for sale on Gumtree for the foreseeable future.
Bash explained: “We are looking for offers and there have been many offers.
“I will leave it there for six months to a year. But it will be better with full hours and we can give the people of Scone full services.”
Strathmore councillor Lewis Simpson, the former postmaster at Scone, welcomed the news, adding: “The community has been inconvenienced for far too long and I trust that Post Office management have also addressed the other service related issues that have been evident after ‘re-inventon’ which will encourage customers who have been forced to make alternative arrangements to use Scone Post Office again.”
According to the Gumtree advert the store and the post office make £7000 per week combined.
It’s much better for the Scone community