Longer opening hours

[Pinky 1]

Post Office plans change of premises for Barry facility, plus longer opening hours

4:50pm Monday 3rd December 2012 in News
RESIDENTS have been asked to deliver their views on proposals to re-locate a Barry post office to a nearby convenience store - with greatly extended opening hours.
Proposals, subject to a six-week public consultation, involve relocating the Vale Street post office from its existing base at 113 Park Crescent, along the road to a nearby convenience store, to create a modern, open-plan local style branch.
Opening hours would be extended by 52 hours a week at the new premises of 41-42 Park Crescent, an established store, with a move scheduled for February next year if the plans go ahead.
Post Office Regional Network manager for Wales, Tony Jones, said: "The proposed changes to the branch are part of a three-year investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office, that will see around 6000 branches - about half the Post Office network - converting to new-style branches.
"The investment marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes."
Opening hours at the proposed new location would be 6.30am to 8.30pm, Monday to Sunday, offering customers an extra 52 hours a week to access Post Office products and services.
Customers would also be able to carry out a wide range of Post Office services including cash withdrawal from partner banks and Post Office card accounts, access to Post Office Financial and Travel services, as well as mail services.

Post Office Ltd is asking for feedback on the proposals, with the consultation ending on January 11.

Submissions can be made to Freepost YOUR COMMENTS, Post Office Ltd, National Consultation Team, Wealdstone Post Office, 1st Floor Admin, 2 Headstone Drive, Harrow HA3 5QL, or via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk

You can also respond via the Customer Helpline on 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55.

* VALE MP Alun Cairns has welcomed the news, saying: "The Post Office is a really valuable local service - and the proposed location in the shop at the top of the same road means everyone will be able to access the services during longer opening hours.
"I welcome the extra support to independent retailers that the new style of Post Office local branches offers. The arrival of the new Sainsbury's store in the area has put the pressure on many of the nearby shops - this investment by the Post Office will be a big boost to the community."
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[subbie]

Has there ever been any competent consumer survey performed that shows that the public actually want Post Office services available on an open all hours basis?

I would say that no such demand exists.

What people want is access to extended hours of left mail collection (p739's)

Sub Post Offices are the largest collection of outlets able to provide such pick up points, by far.

So why does the Royal Mail not put in the investment into enabling as many Subs as possible (those who have the space) to afford to offer extended opening hours to the public to collect mail that could not be put through the customers letter box.

It aint rocket science but it does require a price to be put upon this level of consumer convenience because it is far above the remit of the universal service obligation of a uniform price of delivery to the door of every household.

If Joe public wants a PO Branch to be open at say 8.00pm for them to pick up mail then a price has to be paid by the consumer. And this does not require Royal Mail or Post Office Ltd to pimp a margin for themselves out of this price, any revenue raised by providing this level of extra service to the customer must be diverted to the individual providing the service, eg the Postmaster.

Subbie