'Carry On Post Office' Exeter locals confused and frustrated by Whipton branch problems

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It has the makings of a Carry On film after a public institution descended into chaos.

But the persistent problems at Whipton Post Office in Exeter are no laughing matter for the villagers.

Residents and traders have complained the branch in the Costcutter store on Pinhoe Road is frequently shut or breaks down without warning.

Percy Buckland, 87, who lives in Whipton, said: “They are closed, then they are open. They are closed, then they are open... The Post Office seems to crash more often than it should, but nobody knows why.”

Staff say they are baffled by the teething troubles, which have been ongoing since the summer, but nobody has been able to offer a solution.

Jason Mayfield, of the greengrocer, said: “It’s killing the village. People are going elsewhere to do their shopping and banking, which is affecting all the businesses.

“The Post Office used to operate normally. But now nobody knows whether it’s going to be open or closed from one day to another. There’s no rhyme or reason to it.

“I’ve know one of the lads working in there was told to take his shoes off, because they thought he was causing static electricity to throw the system out. It’s beyond belief.

“Nobody has been able to tell us why it’s breaking down or give us any answers. It’s disgusting how a big organisation have treated the local people.”

Problems started in August 2015 when the long-established branch closed for around two months after a power surge caused systems to crash.

A mobile post office was brought in to provide a temporary service, but it was taken away soon after.

Geoff Pring, of Robert's the Butchers, said: “There is clearly something wrong. It’s affecting our footfall. Trade has definitely gone down.”

In a statement sent to the Echo on February 1, a Post Office spokesman said the branch was up and running “with no current issues”.

It added: “Post Office has been working tirelessly to rectify the situation and we hope that we can now provide a stable service.”

Following the Echo’s conversations with people in Whipton, the Post Office sent a second statement on Monday.

A spokesperson said: “We are still working tirelessly to identify the cause of the intermittent problem at Whipton Post Office, which has unfortunately led to the temporary short-term closure of the branch at various times since September.

“We sincerely apologise to customers about the unreliable service provision that customers have received during this time. The fact that the problem has been intermitted has made it much harder to identify the cause/s of the situation and therefore it is proving harder to find a permanent solution. We are committed to maintaining a Post Office in Whipton.”

The nearest alternative branch is based within the McColl’s store on Pinhoe Road – 0.6 miles away.