Dedicated duo take over Dorchester post office

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/503173 ... st_office/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DEDICATED Glenda Hart and Wendy Brown stamped their own mark on Dorchester post office when it went into administration.

The duo decided to take over the franchise of the business in Trinity Street after it ran into problems last year.

Now – after several months of negotiations – the partners have got behind the counters to breathe new life into the post office.

Glenda, aged 48, of Wool, said: “We were told that we were going into administration; it was scary.

“We just got our heads together and thought ‘shall we do it?’ .

“We’re local ladies who want to give it a go.

“We’re excited about the business and are determined to work really hard to make it work.

“We want to work for our own benefit and the town.”

She added: “It is going to be interesting. At the moment there are not enough hours in the day.”

Dorchester post office ran into problems when the company which held the franchise, Counter Management Ltd, went into administration early last year.

The company’s post office franchises in Weymouth, Dorchester and Salisbury closed briefly before re-opening under an interim company appointed by Post Office Ltd.

Staff had to wait until March to receive their wages.

Glenda and Wendy, 48, who lives in Corfe Mullen, decided to step in as both have a wealth of experience in post offices.

Glenda started at the Dorchester post office in 1991 as a part-time worker on 11 hours a week before working her way up to assistant manager.

She also worked in the Poole post office before returning to Dorchester in late 2007. Wendy first worked for the post office in Bridport in 1985 and moved to Dorchester in 1993 where she became manager.

The pair employ 11 staff at the post office in Dorchester, which is open six days a week.

They aim to create another counter and revamp the shop but also hope to feature many locally-produced items and items of interest for sale, like greetings cards.

Mrs Hart said the business needs to succeed on its own merits through retail sales as well as insurance and savings policies.

“We aim to make things better and want people to bear with us.”

[Lounge Lizard]

"She added: “It is going to be interesting. At the moment there are not enough hours in the day.”
-- that's a sentiment with which so many us will all too readily concur.