20
Jun
Bid to get post office 'up and running in Knaresborough as soon as possible'
Postmaster Andrew Hart has said he is “trying to get a Post Office service up and running in Knaresborough as soon as possible” — and admitted he would like to provide it.
Knaresborough Post Office closed suddenly this month, leaving customers having to travel out of town for a full Post Office service.
Nottingham-based VPS PVT, which ran the business and nine other post offices, filed for voluntary liquidation on June 5, according to documents on Companies House.
Closed: The former Knaresborough Post Office site.
Mr Hart, postmaster of both Starbeck Main Post Office and King Edward’s Drive Post Office in Bilton, said his Starbeck operation — which is the closest Post Office to Knaresborough — was getting almost 1,000 extra customers a week since the closure.
He said his business partner Asma Ola was overseeing the short-term need to cater for the influx of extra customers while he worked on a longer-term solution to help those affected, many of whom are older, less mobile and more vulnerable.
Mr Hart, who is a director of Knaresborough and District Chamber, said he had spoken to Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, about the possibility of organising community transport to Starbeck.
Mr Hart said:
I felt I must immediately work with the council and the chamber to try and get a Post Office service up and running in the town as quickly as possible.
I have communicated with senior managers and a director at Post Office Ltd to see what can be done. However, it is my understanding that they must follow a very strict legal protocol in these situations.
A public consultation runs until July 29. People can email views to comments@postoffice.co.uk quoting branch reference 629323. Mr Hart added:
In the meantime the Post Office have to follow the legalities of this situation. They are both frustrated and sorry about the difficulties this has presented to the town. Their legal department have it under constant scrutiny.
Legally, as things stand, Starbeck Post Office cannot offer any postal services within Knaresborough and no one else can. However, I do have assurances that a Post Office will return as quickly as is logistically possible after July 29.
Mr Hart said he was keen to expand into Knaresborough:
I make no bones about it — I wanted to buy Knaresborough Post Office when it came up for sale four years ago but it didn’t happen then.
Asked why he thought he could succeed in the town, he said he would operate a similar model to his Starbeck and Bilton ventures, which sell gifts and cards as well as provide a full Post Office services plus delivery services Evri, Amazon, UPS, DHL and DPD.
Cllr Walker, who is also a Knaresborough town councillor, said providing community transport from Knaresborough to Starbeck was "a possibility" and talks were ongoing.
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