Taunton Post Office - 'customers deserve better'

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THE owners of the building housing Taunton Post Office says customers deserve better.

Bosses at Primeco, which spent more than £2million buying and improving the premises in 2005, say they want to talk with Post Office Ltd managers, who also say they are keen to find a solution.

The situation arose after Nearby Stores won the franchise to run Taunton Post Office, with a convenience store, before going into administration in 2009 – for previous stories visit somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news The shelves of the shop, at the front of the building, were emptied overnight and customers still have to go to the back to reach the post office, now run by Post Office Ltd again on a rent-free basis.

A Primeco spokesman said: “We can’t do anything with that building until the post office vacates it – and they’ve got 2½ years left in occupation and then either have to leave or negotiate a rent.

“We’ve a number of high quality tenants that would like that property, including retailers and restaurants.”


He added: “We feel saddened, but what can we do?

“We’d be happy to re-engage with the Post Office so the building could be refitted to the standard the people of Taunton require.

“Whatever happens, it couldn’t be any worse.

“I’m sure the Post Office and the people it services would like to see this resolved – it’s not the image Taunton town centre wants to portray and isn’t fitting for a Crown post office.”

Post Office spokesman Mike Norman said: “We always seek to provide a high quality service to our customers and will investigate concerns raised by them.

“In the meantime, we’ll continue to work hard to identify a more sustainable, long-term solution for a post office service in Taunton.”