Popular Cheltenham Post Office could be closed within weeks

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COMMUNITY leaders are in a race against time to save a Cheltenham post office from closure.

Up Hatherley Post Office could be forced to close in under three weeks if someone cannot be found to take it over.

The Echo understands owner Wendy Buffrey plans to sell her home, which houses the post office, by the end of next month.

It means Up Hatherley could be left without its own branch until a new franchisee is found.


Parish councillors have vowed to call a public meeting to speed up the process and secure its future.

David Hall, leader of the council's social and community group, said: "I think that would be a sensible thing to do, to raise awareness of what is going on.

"It would be very bad for the area if the post office were to close. It is a service we need."

Ms Buffrey, who has run the franchise in Hatherley Road for more than eight years, hit the headlines in November when she was accused of defrauding Royal Mail of £25,000.

The 50-year-old appeared at Gloucester Crown Court last month and will stand trial in Cirencester, in September.

Ms Buffrey, who is known for her campaigns against post office closures, allegedly committed the offence over eight months in 2008.

The Echo understands she now wants to sell her building, which includes the post office and a small convenience shop, before the trial gets under way.

An advert for the branch has been placed on the Post Office's national database of branches available for takeover.

It warns any new sub-postmaster "may need" to provide "alternative premises".

The next nearest post office to Up Hatherley is the Warden Hill branch in Salisbury Avenue – more than a mile away.

Roger Whyborn, borough councillor for Up Hatherley, said it would be a disaster if the branch were to disappear.

He said: "It would be a terrible loss and I very much hope that some other local person will pick this up.

"The worry is that if there is a downtime with no post office, it may never come back or the Royal Mail may decide it no longer needs one here.

"I will be doing my best to make people aware of the situation so we can act together."

Anyone can apply to run a post office from their business or home.

Potential sub-postmasters are provided with training, but are liable to cover set-up costs and prepare a detailed business plan.

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said he had not heard about any impending changes in Up Hatherley.

He said: "Up Hatherley Post Office continues to operate as normal. We are not aware of any official change in circumstances at this present time."

No one at Hatherley Post Office was prepared to comment.