Retail hosts still wanted for POs

Around a year since both Inveraray and Lochgilphead lost their post offices, Post Office Ltd is still searching for retailers to host a branch in each town.

Inveraray post office had been hosted in the town’s Londis shop for a number of years, but closed in April 2020 with the departure of the postmaster, as Londis was replaced by The Tipsy Laird.

In June, Lochgilphead was left with no post office after the sudden passing of Lochgilphead postmaster Findlay Campbell, a tragedy which shocked and saddened the community.

In October last year, a Mid Argyll businessman said he had approached the Post Office offering to open up a shop in Inveraray hosting a post office branch.

The company, he claims, responded by seeking £17,000 in set-up costs.

The Post Office responded that it had ‘received some interest for Inveraray’, but a spokesperson added ‘we cannot commit to funding the set-up costs for every branch’.

Tarbert Post Office has done its best to plug the gaps by providing Inveraray and Lochgilphead with a mobile service, as well as providing outreach for Ardrishaig.

Former Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell said last year that Post Office Ltd ‘needs to do more to encourage applications’ for Argyll branch vacancies.

Six months on, progress continues to be limited amid the pandemic.

This week a company spokesperson responded to questions from the Argyllshire Advertiser by saying: ‘We continue to work hard to find permanent solutions for Inveraray and Lochgilphead. In the meantime we have mobile post office solutions for both of these communities.

‘For Lochgilphead there have been some expressions of interest from two parties and talks are at a very early stage.

‘We are interested to hear from retailers for Lochgilphead and Inveraray.’