A town delivery office will close ending months of speculation over its future – despite a campaign backed by more than 1,000 residents to save it.
Royal Mail announced yesterday, Wednesday, that they are transferring their mail operation from Ellesmere Delivery Office on Scotland Street nine miles away to Maesbury Road in Oswestry.
The move on May 11 will not affect any services at Ellesmere Post Office, which is on the same street as the delivery office. Royal Mail bosses claim the move will improve service to customers in the town through an agreement with the subpostmaster at Ellesmere’s Post Office, meaning customers will be able to collect any undeliverable mail throughout the day, as opposed to the current arrangements where the Royal Mail enquiry office is open for only a few hours at lunchtime.
But the move has been slammed by town council officials who had requested a meeting with Royal Mail bosses prior to any decision being made.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “The move will aid Royal Mail’s efficiency by disposing of an old, not fit-for-purpose property, while better using Oswestry Delivery Office.
“It will also remove the duplication of some work and reduce the need to pass any ‘mis-sorted’ mail between the two sites.”
They added there would be no compulsory redundancies as a result of the move, and that staff will have improved health and safety conditions at Oswestry, as well as being reimbursed for any extra mileage.
Peter Holloway, Ellesmere Town Council clerk, said: “We’ve had a letter through confirming the move and obviously we’re not happy. We’re not finished with trying to resist it.
“I’m going to write to them and ask how collections will work and about the delay there will be in delivering the mail. There’s the environmental issue too – everyone’s going to start driving to and from Oswestry all the time.”
Mr Holloway said a petition against the closure which had been circulated in the town currently had 1,100 signatures on it.
“We’re talking about a local public service, I appreciate they’re a business but I question the positive spin put on the outcome,” he added. “We can’t just give up. I will be seeing if the issues raised are sustainable and referring it to the MP.” Letters will be sent to all addresses served by the delivery office explaining the move.