Post Office ends speculation and confirms transfer

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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AFTER months of speculation over the future of the mail sorting office in Pewsey it has been confirmed this week that it is closing at the end of this month.

The dozen or so postmen and women at Pewsey are being transferred to the sorting office in Marlborough where there has had to be a major re-shuffle of both sorting space for the staff in an already cramped building and also parking space for the vans.

The decision to move the sorting office does not in any way affect the village’s post office that is an entirely separate business and will continue to operate with its full range of services.

The Gazette first reported concerns over the future of the sorting office behind the post office in Pewsey six months ago at which time Royal Mail denied that closure was being considered and said that the Pewsey office, like all others, was merely undergoing a review.

Some of the staff at Pewsey remained convinced the sorting office would close and even gave the end of this month as the closing date.

The parish council lodged an objection to the sorting office being closed and in January a group was set up called STAMPS (Stop taking Away My Postal Services).

A demonstration outside the sorting office on January 27 showed the strength of opposition to any move.

This week it was confirmed, however, that the sorting office transfers to Marlborough from April 1.

In a statement Royal Mail said: the move follows a detailed review of the Pewsey operation.

“We don’t envisage any detrimental effect on the level of service or delivery times in the area,” it says.

Tony Bolton, who helped set up STAMPS, said one of the biggest concerns was over where undelivered packages could be collected.

However parish council chairman Alex Carder said Royal Mail was negotiating for parcels to be collected from the post office.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

In a statement Royal Mail said: the move follows a detailed review of the Pewsey operation.

“We don’t envisage any detrimental effect on the level of service or delivery times in the area,” it says.

No but I bet the Posties do - and I also predict that the local community will notice later deliveries and other effects that they will say are detrimental.