Post office owners 'left in dark' over facility's future

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THE owners of Kilcreggan’s post office say they’ve heard nothing from their bosses about the future of the facility.

Karen and Stephen Clayton have been fighting since last year against attempts by Post Office Ltd to turn the service into a ‘local’ model, which would offer fewer services than at present.

The couple told the Advertiser this week that they had been hoping to hear news of their bid to become a ‘community post office’ – retaining all the services presently available – by the end of September.


Post Office Ltd turned down the Clayton’s ‘community post office’ bid last year – but granted a 12-month stay of execution against the ‘local model’ move.

Mr Clayton told the Advertiser this week: “It was supposed to be this month that they re-evaluated our bid, but we haven’t heard anything from them.

“Our sales are so far down because of the post office services at the new Co-op in Rosneath.

“Are they going to leave us here to die or not? I was going to call them but part of me is scared of what they might say.”

The Claytons launched an online ‘crowdfunding’ campaign last year to support their efforts to be made a community post office, though the campaign has so far raised just £1,605 towards its hoped-for total of £20,000.

The couple – along with many Kilcreggan residents – are hoping to avoid a repeat of the situation in nearby Cove, where post office facilities are only available in an ‘outreach’ format on two mornings each week at the village’s convenience store.

Nick Davies, the chair of Cove and Kilcreggan Community Council, said: “Kilcreggan’s post office is as good a village post office as you could wish to have, but it was quite clear a year ago that Post Office Ltd are keen to close down village post offices and move the business into another facility.

“We all, as a community, want to keep that post office going. But post office closures is not an Argyll and Bute issue or even a Scottish issue – it’s a UK-wide issue”


A spokesperson for Post Office Ltd said: “We are committed to providing services in the area but to date the situation remains the same.

“Once a decision is made we would of course contact the operators in the first instance.”

Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O’Hara, whose remit at Westminster includes postal services, said: “I am in favour of community enterprise, and a village post office can often be a central part of that.

“However, being an essential service, it shouldn’t have to rely on grant funding. I am disappointed that the Claytons feel unsupported and I have raised a query with the Post Office about their situation.

“My previous experience with the Post Office has been both cooperative and pragmatic about ensuing continuity of service so I hope to have some clarity on this for the Claytons as soon as possible.”