Rural post office opens cafe

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.u ... ticle.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



IT IS a courageous last ditch bid to save a vital service for an East Yorkshire rural community.

Dedicated Alan and Yvonne Hyam have thrown everything into keeping the post office going at Thorngumbald, near Hedon.

That includes sinking their life savings, inheritance cash, and further bank loan, into a new venture to breath new life into the business.

Now the couple have opened the Pillar Box Tea Rooms to help raise the profile of the Main Street post office and generate additional income.

Like most other rural post offices, Thorngumbald is struggling to survive, and has been up for sale for the past three years.

Mr Hyam, 51, said: "We have been here for eight years and things have been really tough as a result of the Government taking so much off us.

"We decided to put the business up for sale because there was a real danger of it being closed or us having to close voluntarily.

"I think every post office between Hedon and Withernsea is on the market, so six months ago we decided to diversify.

"We consulted hundreds of customers on ways to keep the post office safe for future generations, and top of the list was a village tea rooms."

But the brave move has come at price, Mr and Mrs Hyam have had to spent about £165,000 on scheme, mainly their own money.

The project included buying a derelict property next door to create the tea room, developing a salon for a local hairdresser at the rear, and making a car park for the businesses.

The enterprising couple have also had help and advice from Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart who has visited them on a number of occasions.

The Government announced in 2007 that it was pushing ahead with the closure of 2,500 post offices across the country, on top of the 4,000 that had closed since 1999.

As part of his campaign to save post offices, Mr Stuart visited Thorngumbald along with Stuart Burgess, chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities.

Mr Hyam said: "Whilst the dignitaries confirmed that further government help was needed, they also told us diversification was a key to survival.

"Without this there will undoubtedly be hundreds, possibly thousands, more closures in the future as sub-postmasters face the death by a thousand cuts scenario.

"With this in mind we have spent our life savings, my inheritance from my mum, and a further bank loan, to create the tea rooms and another business on the premises."

Grants were also obtained from Business Link and East Riding Council.

Mr and Mrs Hyam hope to buck the trend and survive the current situation.

He added: "The tea room has only been open a week, but is going very well.

"We have sunk every last penny in this venture to keep the post office alive, and hopefully it will succeed."

The Pillar Box Tea Rooms are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

Link

The Post Office

http://www.postoffice.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lounge Lizard]

"We consulted hundreds of customers on ways to keep the post office safe for future generations, and top of the list was a village tea rooms." adding that being near Hull with its regular boats to and from Holland they just might get some ideas from such establishments in Amsterdam.

[Wessex]

Well done to the MP for his support too.Hopefully other Tory rural MP's will show support for the postie as well.

[Lounge Lizard]

Well done to the MP for his support too.Hopefully other Tory rural MP's will show support for the postie as well.

- the only chance of that is if they think there might be a few votes for themselves in so doing.