A WORCESTER woman has told how she was left so upset by the waiting times at a city centre post office that she walked out without being served.
Margaret Maklanczy, of Gilmour Crescent, has hit out at the Post Office branch at WHSmith, in Worcester High Street, after she queued up for more than 30 minutes before giving up.
Mrs Maklanczy said one of the serving kiosks at the post office was closed after a staff member left their post, but was not replaced, leaving a queue of customers stood waiting “like lemons”.
Recalling her visit on Monday, January 4, she said: “I joined a long queue at 10.30am. I was only sixth in the queue by 11am.
“At 11.05am, the cashier on one of the kiosks left , and was not replaced. One staff member came to the closed kiosk to help a woman, in what I presume was a pre-arranged appointment.
“I asked the staff member if no other kiosk was being opened, and they said no, meaning there were around 30 people stood in the post office like lemons.
“I did not get an answer from the staff member, so I left.
“Why are there not more staff working there, why are there not more kiosks and why do the store’s managers not investigate, so this abysmal state of affairs doesn’t keep happening?
“Isn’t the post office for people who live and work in Worcester?”
The Post Office says the matter is being invesitgated.
A spokesman for the service said: "We would like to apologise to customers who may have experienced a longer than usual waiting time in our Worcester Post Office.
"We would like to reassure customers that this has been recognised and investigated, and we have now implemented the necessary steps to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”
The Post Office branch controversially moved to WHSmith from Foregate Street in 2008, with more than 1,000 people signing a petition against the plan.
Worcester’s MP, Robin Walker, who campaigned against the branch’s move eight years ago, says he will keep a “close eye” on the situation.
He said: “I have not had complaints about it since the move, but it is something I have been monitoring and will continue to keep a close eye on it. I would urge people with concerns over the post office to tell me.
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“The Post Office has standards that it must meet, and we must ensure it does so.
“I am pleased other post offices have been expanded with extra kiosks, but the city centre branch must operate a suitable service.”