'Bonkers' parcels ban at Churchdown post office

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BONKERS bureaucrats have banned post office staff from accepting parcels.

The hatch at Churchdown Post Office is broken, meaning parcels cannot be handed over to staff.

Instead of them coming out from behind the barrier to take the post over by hand, they are turning customers away and telling them to travel into Gloucester.

Pensioner George Schwaben has slammed the ruling as ludicrous.

"It is ridiculous," he said.

"They said they could not take my parcel because the hatch was broken.

Offence

"I asked why they couldn't take it through the door, and they said it was a sackable offence. I thought she was joking and then realised she was being serious. You would have thought they could relax the rule while the hatch does not work.

"What makes it worse is while I was talking to them one walked out through the door."

Eighty-two-year-old Mr Schwaben, of Innsworth, was told it would be a week before the hatch was fixed so he would have to travel into the city centre to post his parcel if it was urgent.

Churchdown borough councillor, Gill Blackwell (Lib Dem), said there were a lot of elderly residents in Churchdown who rely on the Post Office and would not be able to get into Gloucester.

"They should try and help the customer and get a move on and mend it," she said. "In the meantime they need to come up with a solution."

Post Office Ltd spokesperson Valerie Antoine said: "We apologise to customers for the inconvenience the broken hatch has caused and we are working hard to fix it. In the meantime customers wishing to drop of parcels may use any convenient Post Office service. Nearby branches are in Longlevens and Barnwood."