Calls for Budgens manager to withdraw Post Office bid

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RESIDENTS and business owners in Whitstable have called on the manager of the town's Budgens to withdraw his bid to take on Post Office services.

The call comes after Post Office Ltd today confirmed proposals to shut the Crown office in Gladstone Road and move the service to the High Street store run by Binny Amin.

The proposal comes on the heels of a public meeting held last night about the future of the Gladstone Road site. The Post Office were invited, but chose not to attend.

Brian Hitcham, the president of the Whitstable Chamber of Commerce, said the news was “the worst kept secret in Whitstable.” In a joint statement with local resident and activist Julie Wassmer, Mr Hitcham said that by depriving the town of a Crown Post Office, Budgens was taking a gamble: “If they fail to succeed, both Budgens and the town would be the long term losers.”


Stuart Jeffrey, the Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Whitstable, said he did not support the move. “Budgens needs to think long and hard about this,” he said. “I am concerned they may be shooting themselves in the foot if the Gladstone Road site is closed and developed into another supermarket.”

And residents and business owners called on Binny to pull out of the deal, saying they were prepared to boycott the store if the plans went ahead.

“The ball’s in his court. I hope he’ll withdraw so we can keep the Crown Post Office where it is,” said Rob Morris, the proprietor of the iS2 Gallery in Horsebridge Road. “He’s got the chance to save the Post Office. There are a lot of people who won’t be happy about the move and won’t use Budgens if it goes ahead.”

Local resident Jenny Buncombe, of Westmeads Road, said the proposed franchise was “a recipe for disaster.”

“History shows that a high proportion of franchises fail. Then there will be no postal services in Whitstable at all. We need a Crown Post Office with full services, wherever it is located within the town,” she said.

Binny declined to comment when asked to by the Whitstable Times.

While Post Office bosses claim that the new arrangements will see the Budgens franchise open for an extra 38 and half hours a week , concern about how staffing for the plan would work has been expressed.

In a statement, the Post Office said the new office would open seven days a week from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

“I don’t see how the Post Office can man the counter for a thirteen hour period. That’s a lot of extra wages,” said Sue Harman, who runs Stanleys’ Fishmongers in Whitstable High Street.

At the public meeting in St Peter’s Church, Sydenham Street, attended by more than 60 people, the vast majority of attendees opposed any move to get rid of the Crown Post Office, and said they would “vote with their feet” by not shopping at Budgens unless Binny agreed to withdraw his bid.

James Flanagan, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Whitstable, said he was “disappointed” by the Post Office’s non-attendance at the meeting. “The concerns raised last night stand,” he said. “One of my main worries, if this plan goes ahead, is what happens to the building that’s left behind?”

James said he intended to write to the Post Office to to ask for a meeting between management and a seven-strong cross-party delegation from Whitstable, including residents.

Peter Meech, a territorial representative for the Communication Workers Union, also attended the meeting. He called on the community to work together to campaign to save the Crown Post Office, saying the only way the decision would be reversed would be in Budgens withdrew. “A lot of people don’t like the word ‘boycott’ but theoretically that’s the only way to do it,” he said.

However not all residents are against the plans. Gary Millar, of West Cliff, said he would welcome the move.

He said: “I have no problem with the Post Office closure – it’s proposed to be in a locally owned business and not in a large corporate business, such as Tesco. Budgens will have another source of income, and the person in the street will have easier access to Post Office facilities."

People posting on the Whitstable Times Facebook page have also voiced support for the plans.

Jonathan DearGeek Gwyer said: "*Much* longer opening hours, low level counters, private area for financial discussions - this is so much better than the current Post Office! Great stuff Budgens !"

Karen Conway said: "Great news for Budgens. It will drive further footfall into Budgens which will be much needed when Morrisons opens."

Charlotte Maflin added: "Great news! Much rather a local store gets it than morrisons for example. It was going to close anyway so at least we know it will still be close by and longer hours! Bonus! "

- Find out more via the Whitstable Chamber of Commerce (chamber@whitstablechamber.org) or the Save Whitstable Crown Post Office Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WhitstableCrownPostOffice" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)