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05
Feb
Future of two Harrogate post offices looks secure after Bilton upgrade
A Harrogate post office has been ‘promoted’ after being rated the third best performer in the North.
The Red Box on King Edward's Drive in Bilton was previously categorised as a ‘local’ post office – just one step up from the ‘community’ post offices of rural villages.
But now Post Office Ltd has upgraded it to a ‘mains’ post office – the top level of the post office pyramid.
That puts it on a par with the larger branches in city centres and means it will be able to offer more services.
For example, as a local post office it was only allowed to carry euros and dollars, but it will now stock the 10 busiest foreign currencies, and will have overnight access to any others it requests.
It will also be able to offer vehicle licensing and document verification, and may also be considered for checking in passport applications, making it an alternative to TG Jones in Harrogate town centre – the only local outlet currently to offer passport services.
Postmaster Andrew Hart told the Stray Ferret:
This promotion is not something Post Office does lightly or very often. It is in recognition of our hard work over recent years. We are very pleased and proud to have achieved this.
The small, independent post offices are under more threat than ever before, but we have proved through good knowledge and good customer service that we can not only survive but we can beat off the challenges from online, instore branches and parcel lockers.
Mr Hart also runs The Red Box on Starbeck High Street, whose post office services have been rated the best out of the 1,200 in Post Office Ltd’s northern region.
The Red Box on Starbeck High Street.
Asked about the secret to his branches’ success, Mr Hart said:
We’ve got a bloody good retail set-up, our staff are very knowledgeable and professional, and we offer excellent customer service. We don’t like to say ‘no’, and we go out of our way to say ‘yes’. We’re just friendly.
Mr Hart also said the upgrading would most likely secure the future of both his shops at a time when many nationally will likely be under threat following the outcome of the current comprehensive government review into Post Office Ltd, which is publicly owned.
He said:
There are about 11,500 post offices in the UK, and about 2,000 will probably disappear if they’re not performing. But we’re now in a very unusual position, and this almost guarantees our future.
Over the next 12 months, some of our local post offices will disappear, but I very much doubt now that The Red Box either on King Edwards Drive or in Starbeck will be among them.
Asked about speculation that New Park post office would be downgraded just as The Red Box is upgraded, a Post Office spokesperson said:
There are plans to add extra services to King Edwards Drive Post Office. Plans are currently being finalised and we cannot yet provide a start date.
There are no plans to reduce the range of services at New Park Post Office. There have been some recent operational issues which did impact service at this branch and in particular opening hours. However, full service is resumed, and the branch is again trading Monday to Saturday: 9am - 5.30pm.
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