Alloa - Lidl: No plans for Post Office building

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- Lidl: No plans for Post Office building

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A SECOND supermarket in Alloa says it has no plans to apply for the post office franchise.

Lidl is not seeking to "incorporate or facilitate" a relocation of Maple Court branch into its store in Candleriggs.

It set out its decision in reply to a letter from Alloa Town Centre BID (Business Improvement District) and Gordon Banks MP.

Post Office Ltd officially announced the start of the bidding process last month.

Earlier this year the Alloa branch was among 70 Crown branches across the UK earmarked for franchising due to losses of £40 million by Post Office Ltd. Campaigners say franchising the branch will severely impact footfall in the small town centre.

The Labour MP and the Alloa BID team have written to Asda, Tesco and other businesses in Alloa urging them to decline any invitation to bid to host the post office franchise in their Alloa stores. Lidl now joins Tesco in stating that it has no plans to apply for the franchise.

Mr Banks said, "First Tesco, now Lidl have responded with the welcome news that they have no plans to bid to host the Post Office franchise in their Alloa stores - now we await a response from Asda and the others who have been contacted.

"This is encouraging and I'm sure that local residents, who have made their feelings very clear on this matter, will feel that this is another positive step in the right direction.

"There is no doubt that the plans for the Alloa office will have a detrimental effect for local residents and businesses.

" Once a suitable bidder is found for the franchise, a public consultation will be held and if green-lit the branch will be transferred to a third party retail operator by April 2015.