No takers for Bradford on Avon post office

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/11274575._/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

A couple who have run Bradford on Avon’s Post Office in Trowbridge Road for 20 years say it will be a big loss to the community when it closes next month.

The Post Office and convenience store has been on sale for the past four years but due to no buyers it will close its doors on July 18.

This comes despite 40 residents attending a meeting with Post Office representatives last year to see what they could do to help.

Bill and Jill Sherman, who run the Post Office, having been looking to retire for some time.


Mr Sherman, 68, said: “We have enjoyed being part of the community but we have reached the age past retiring.

“We don’t know why it didn’t sell. The estate agent and Post Office don’t know why either.

“The community got involved but they simply didn’t have the funding.

“It will be a big loss to the community. We also provide electricity and gas keys, do the Lottery and deliver shopping.”

Mrs Sherman, 66, said they were undecided if they would continue living in the property or move on to pastures new.

She said: “We haven’t had a holiday since 2000 so after Christmas we are going to Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. Bill wants to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The world is our oyster.”

The couple have a daughter in Durham and a daughter in Norfolk and five grandchildren. They said they were looking forward to spending more time with the family.

People will now have to travel to the Post Office in Budgens, Lamb Yard, or to Trowbridge Post Office.

[Lounge Lizard]

“We don’t know why it didn’t sell" - Probably because they're asking too much for it.

[obiwanknobe]

Asking too much for it?

Yes -- probably.

But you forget that the property is also their home. They have to sell the business and property for enough to buy them a similar sized property elsewhere. They were only trying to sell it for the benefit of the community. No buyers then the best option is to close the doors and convert the shop into residential. Having done that then they would probably be able to sell it for more than what they were asking with the business in it.

Sad fact but probably most of the rural community shops in the country with accommodation attached are worth far more without the business than with it.

Look at any village property for sale - the details will always list that the property benefits from being close to a village shop and post office. Without that benefit the value of the property being sold is at least 10% less. On that basis the value of a local shop to local property owners is 10% of the sum total of the value of all properties in the village. Many many millions.

To keep rural shops open, profitable and most importantly saleable, the owners need to be able to have access to a portion of those millions as a subsidy. A simple local property sales tax would suffice.

May the stamp duty be with you.

Obi

[Lounge Lizard]

Asking too much for it?

Yes -- probably.

But you forget that the property is also their home. They have to sell the business and property for enough to buy them a similar sized property elsewhere. They were only trying to sell it for the benefit of the community. No buyers then the best option is to close the doors and convert the shop into residential. Having done that then they would probably be able to sell it for more than what they were asking with the business in it.

Sad fact but probably most of the rural community shops in the country with accommodation attached are worth far more without the business than with it.

Look at any village property for sale - the details will always list that the property benefits from being close to a village shop and post office. Without that benefit the value of the property being sold is at least 10% less. On that basis the value of a local shop to local property owners is 10% of the sum total of the value of all properties in the village. Many many millions.

To keep rural shops open, profitable and most importantly saleable, the owners need to be able to have access to a portion of those millions as a subsidy. A simple local property sales tax would suffice.

May the stamp duty be with you.

Obi

Yes, probably most of the rural community shops in the country with accommodation attached are worth far more without the business than with it and many pubs in the country are worth far more without the business than with it hence all the pub closures .