Pat's praise for public who helped to save post office

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Pats-p ... 012012.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

SEALING the deal which safeguarded the future of Swadlincote Post Office in the town centre meant ‘the voice of the people was heard’, a councillor and exbusiness leader has claimed.

Pat Murray, who as the former chairman of Swadlincote Chamber of Trade organised a petition to save the service which attracted 7,000 signatures, spoke after the Mail revealed the franchise had been acquired by V and B Retail Ltd from Tamworth Co-operative Society.

“I’m totally over the moon. I’m so ecstatic,” said the Tory, who represents the Woodville ward on South Derbyshire District Council and the Midway and Hartshorne division on Derbyshire County Council.

“To lose the post office would have been a disaster, not only for Swadlincote but for that end of the town.

“I’m excited. All the hard work that was put in by the district council, Co-op, new owners, myself and the chamber — it has all come together extremely well.

“The voice of the people has been heard. It’s an achievement, it really is.”

Councillor Murray drew up the petition after Co-op bosses announced they were closing the service and accompanying clothing store, located in The Delph, following years of ‘substantial losses’ which had forced it to subsidise the operation from other parts of its business.

The Co-op later drew back from the brink by announcing it would continue to run the post office beyond the original September 30 closure date while efforts continued to find a new franchisee.

Months of anxiety over the post office’s future finally ended on Thursday when it was announced that V and B would keep the service on site and open an accompanying convenience store in a deal which would see the firm lease the premises before buying it later this year.

V and B also said it hoped to employ more staff and would move its offices to Swadlincote.

“The petition had a massive role in bringing about the deal because it showed it was really worth keeping a post office there,” Councillor Murray said.
“I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all the members of the public who supported what I was doing in getting the petition up.”

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Restau ... 022012.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A RESTAURANT and takeaway business is at the heart of plans to redevelop the prime town centre building housing Swadlincote Post Office.

The proposals have been drawn up by V and B Retail Ltd, the Littleover firmwhich safeguarded the future of the letter and parcel operation by acquiring the premises from Tamworth Co-operative Society late last month.

It wants to divide the site, located on The Delph, into three by complementing the eatery scheme with the post office, convenience store and off-licence in one section, and a landlord’s headquarters in another.

“The proposal will ensure that a post office service is available to the town, provide retail and dining facilities and increase the activity across The Delph,” said a spokesman in the planning application submitted to South Derbyshire District Council.

Before the development can proceed, the authority must approve V and B’s bid, made through Derby-based agent Gino Lombardo Associates Ltd, for the premises’ use to change from retail to mixed.

If sanctioned, the scheme would provide jobs for six full-time and 10 parttime staff — up from three each — during trading hours which would run from 6.30am to 7.30pm from Monday to Saturday, and from 8.30am to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

V and B said consideration would be given to providing a facility to serve hot food and drink in the shop. To ‘retain flexibility’, permission was also being sought for the area earmarked for the eatery to be used as a shop, professional or financial business, it said.

The stepped approach to the building would also be supplemented with a ramped access to comply with disability discrimination laws.

V and B claimed the development would improve the appearance of the building, fulfil a market requirement by extending opening hours, and give consumers more choice by providing an increased range of services.

The new owners also said the scheme would improve access to the building, provide job opportunities for locals, improve staff facilities and make delivery access easier. V and B said its application had initially received ‘a very positive response’ from the council during a meeting on October 14.

Planning officers were said to have confirmed there were ‘no policy issues’.

Consultation on the scheme is due to end on February 29, while the target date for a decision is April 4.