Another Post Office Goes

[ade@cambs]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news ... ?ID=452964

Trinity St post office in Cambridge closes in December not part of the closure program but because the owners of the building Trinity college the richest in Cambridge who own the port of Felixstowe and are no longer linked with but have just bought the lease on the O2 arena are asking for £20,000 a year rent.



A CELEBRATED post office in Cambridge is to shut up shop after managers decided the rent was too high.

The much photographed Trinity Street Post Office, opposite Trinity College, which owns the site, is an iconic store with its double frontage in old-fashioned style, and often has queues of visitors looking to buy souvenirs there.

Despite its popularity those who run the shop say the £20,000 per annum rent charged by the college is forcing them out of business.

An upturn in trade this year could not stop its closure.

The post office part will shut on December 11 and the shop will close its doors for the last time on December 24.

The shop is leased by James McNaughton, who owns Scudamores punting company.

Spokesman Andrew Kenny, who works for the company and was previously manager of the post office, said the closure was a sad day for the city.

He added: "The rent of more than £20,000 a year is just too high. Even though this year business is up it just doesn't make sense to keep it open at such a high rent.

"It is obviously a sad day for Cambridge but it is purely a business decision."

Robert Boorman, chairman of Cambridgeshire Older People's Enterprise, was saddened and warned of more closures to come.

He said: "I think it is terribly sad that the post office is closing. It serves many people from the college and there are quite a few apartments in that area with older people in them.

"It is sad when any service is lost and I think that this will be just one of many services that we lose in this recession.

"I don't think people realise how awful it's going to be."

Trinity has invested billions of pounds in property over the years, and owns sites as diverse as the Port of Felixstowe and industrial parks.

In 2005 the college was worth £621 million - the same as Manchester United.

As Cambridge University's richest college, Trinity has recently been linked with a £20 million-plus move to buy the O2 arena in London.

Bidwells, which manages the property for Trinity College, was unavailable for comment.