Beyond a joke
100 days and post office remains closed
The Post Office has been accused of “forgetting their obligation to the Rutherglen public” and of “absolutely disgraceful” behaviour, as pressure mounts over the ongoing closure on Main Street.
This weekend will mark 100 days since the branch suddenly closed in June, and residents and politicians of all parties have slammed the ongoing lack of communication on the matter.
And the Reformer understands the essential service is not due to re-open anytime in the immediate future.
Locals currently have to use Burnside and Cambuslang to collect their pensions and post correspondence.
The Post Office has told the Reformer that it’s “working as hard as possible” to get the branch re-opened – but cannot give any further details on when.
MSP Clare Haughey, who with her Westminster counterpart, Ged Killen, joined frustrated locals outside the facility, said the response is “simply unacceptable”.
Rutherglen’s Main Street Post Office has now been vacant for more than three months - and for the local community it is time for some answers.
Residents last week joined with local politicians from all parties to lambast the ongoing closure, which will reach 100 days on Saturday.
The Post Office continue to refuse to give any details of when it may reopen, or why it closed suddenly in June - and their latest response is likely to annoy residents even further, as it claims Rutherglen is in Glasgow!
The ongoing row has prompted claims that they have “forgotten their primary obligation to the public” and created a situation that is “unacceptable”.
The Reformer understands that there are still no plans for the Post Office to reopen in the immediate future.
MSP Clare Haughey hit out, saying: “In the past three months both myself and Councillor Janine Calikes have both been in regular contact with the Post Office Public and External affairs team in order to gain updates and offer support in finding a solution to this situation.
“Obviously, we are both extremely keen that a Post Office service be reinstated in Rutherglen as a matter of urgency.
“We have identified and met with people from the local shopping centre who are keen to open a service within their premises although, to date, Post Office Ltd have declined to engage in any dialogue around this.
“We have again written jointly to the Post Office External Affairs team this week to highlight that it is simply unacceptable that this vital community service, on which our constituents rely, has closed without notice, that no dialogue has been entered into with those affected, and no resolution is forthcoming.”
MP Ged Killen called for the Post Office to not be treated like “just another business.”
He said: “This is unacceptable to say the least. I understand that there may be issues that the Post Office cannot make public however the people of Rutherglen need to know when their Post Office is opening again.
“This is now happening too often and is of great inconvenience to my constituents, many of whom cannot make it to the branch in Burnside.
“Like banks, the Post Office cannot be treated like just another business.”
Rutherglen South councillor Robert Brown said: “The Post Office seem to have forgotten their primary obligation to the public. Rutherglen has now gone over three months with no Post Office service where there used to be a Crown Post Office. This causes inconvenience to local customers, not least the elderly, who have to travel to Burnside or elsewhere for a Post Office service.
“It also sends out entirely the wrong signal, namely that the Post Office is no longer interested in its customers.
“I appreciate that there may have been confidential issues with the previous postmaster. That is now entirely irrelevant. The issue now is putting in place an alternative Post Office location.
“It is astonishing that the Post Office has made no announcement saying they are doing this, nor, as far as I know, have they advertised for interest from local businesses.”
Rutherglen councillor Janine Calikes said: “It is absolutely disgraceful that this organisation have refused to engage with our community and its representatives.
“People in my ward are really suffering from the loss of this service and it is utterly frustrating that my constituents are asking me for information about this and despite my best efforts I am unable to obtain any.”
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We sincerely apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by the continued temporary closure of Rutherglen Post Office in Glasgow.
“We understand and appreciate how much communities rely on our services. We would like to reassure our customers that the decision to suspend services at any of our branches is never taken lightly.
“We take very seriously any decision to change the way a branch is operated, and will only do so when it is warranted by the circumstances of the particular case, for example to protect customers, Post Office assets or the safety and security of the Post Office network.
“We will continue to work hard to find a solution which will enable us to restore services to the community.”