Councillors attack Chippenham Post Office move plans

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Plans to move Chippenham’s Post Office into the One Stop have attracted criticism from town councillors.

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The Post Office, from 41-43 Market Place, will be moved as part of a national plan to convert 6,000 branches to a ‘new style’, and changes to the building are proposed for September or October this year.

In the planning and environment committee on Thursday, councillors hit out at the plans, which were deemed “misleading” by the town mayor Andy Phillips.

Coun Nina Phillips said: “Bearing in mind the Post Office currently serves 42,00-odd people, and this is likely to go up to 53,000-odd if plans for new homes go ahead, I wonder if there is enough space in the One Stop for the demand.”

Coun John Scragg said he was concerned that those with disabilities may struggle to navigate the store.

No planning application has yet been submitted, but it is thought that this is unnecessary as there will be no change of use to the existing premises.
Coun David Powell said he was concerned that the opening hours for the Post Office will remain the same - 9am until 5.30pm Monday to Friday - but the retail counter will be open from 7am until 10pm.

“Most Post Office users don’t go for a retail experience, they go for a Post Office experience,” he said.

Coun Andy Phillips said: “Its deceitful to say that there are going to be longer opening hours when you cannot do anything useful with them.”
Coun Scragg said it is still not known what will happen to the existing building, which is rented by the Post Office.

“I expect that they will try to flog it off for redevelopment,” he said.

Coun Andy Phillips said he was also concerned about the claim that there is more parking for Post Office customers outside the One Stop premises.
“The premises are next to the undertakers, the Jubilee Room, and a number of local businesses,” he said.

“If you’re going to put the Post Office there, it will be a bun fight all day long for the few spaces there are there. It’s a very misleading claim that there is going to be easily accessible parking. I think this is a very clever con trick to move into smaller premises which will cause great disruption, especially at Christmas time.”

But Coun Mary Pile pointed out that the Post Office has already moved into other shops in places including Malmesbury, Devizes and Calne.

“I agree with all the comments made here to a certain extent but I feel we might not have many options here,” she said.