The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Closure date of post office announced
Newport people have expressed anger and disappointment following confirmation their post office will close next month.
The branch in the town’s Spar will shut at 3pm on October 19. And while the Post Office has pledged to find a permanent replacement, there are fears this could take some time.
In the meantime, the community has been offered an outreach service operated by counter staff in Dairsie.
But this means Newport will only have access to a post office for two hours on two days per week, rather than the seven-day a week service they’re used to.
Local woman Betty Martin says the community is up in arms.
“People are really disappointed about it but what can we do?” she said.
Betty is chairwoman of the Rio Community Centre and was instrumental in distributing a petition against the Newport post office closure when it was announced in June.
“We raised lots and lots of signatures but now it’s just going to close anyway and that’s it,” Betty said.
“I said that would happen at the beginning.”
It still isn’t clear where the temporary part-time service will be located and Betty said there seems to be few options.
“They were looking to do it at the community centre but we’ve no room and we don’t have parking,” she said.
“It’s ludicrous. It’s a very busy community and a very busy post office.
“People are up in arms about losing this service.
“There will be no post office, no banks, no day centre and no hospital in Newport – they’ve all gone in the last four years.”
Betty joined forces with North East Fife’s Lib Dem politicians, who launched their own petition.
In all, they gathered more than 1,300 signatures against the closure of four post office counters.
And while the Post Office is seeking new operators, MSP Willie Rennie said it’s time to get a move on.
“Losing these services, even if only for a short time, creates needless turmoil for the local community and has a wider impact on other businesses in the area,” he said.
“Post Office representatives told us they understood the impact of these changes, but people are rightly concerned that replacements haven’t yet been found.”
MP Wendy Chamberlain lodged the petition with the House of Commons over the summer.
And she said: “The Post Office needs to set out a clear timetable for reinstating the lost counters and outline the measures it is taking to provide temporary cover.”
The Post Office has agreed the provision of a full-time service in Newport is important.
A spokesperson said: “We will continue to work hard to restore services in the area as soon as possible.”