Post office queues causing headache

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/ ... ticle.html

Long queues at Gloucester’s post office are causing a major headache in the run up to Christmas.

Customers at the main city branch in the Oxebode said they are facing lengthy waits even for services such as buying lottery tickets and stamps.

Earlier this year, Post Office Ltd announced 26 branches in Gloucestershire were to close with replacement outreach services in some areas.

The only one to be saved was Uplands Post Office in Stroud.

Kingsholm resident Alberto Gonzalez, 60, said: “I come into the post office regularly and I think it was wrong of them to close the post office in Kingsholm.

“They know the amount of customers they’re going to get and they still decide to close their offices.

“Sometimes there are 70 people queuing in there. it’s disgusting.”

Tuffley resident David Ellis, 78, said: “I’ve been queuing for at least half-an-hour. All I wanted to do was put my lottery ticket on.

“What put me back was there were only a few people serving on the counters.”

Alison Mordaunt, 64, of Painswick Road, Tuffley, said: “I queued for about 10 or 15 minutes today. It’s boring and inconvenient if you want to be off doing other things. It’s possibly down to a lack of staff. They certainly didn’t have all the tills open.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused but unfortunately there are certain times of the day when post offices are busier than others, particularly as we approach Christmas.

“Our staff are working as hard as possible to keep queues to a minimum.”

But Paul and Anona Young, from Westgate, said the closures were to blame.

They previously used Westgate Post Office, which was closed.

Paul, 53, said: “It’s really packed, especially on a Monday.”

Anona, 39, said: “We use the post office once a week and I can’t stand for too long because I’m disabled. It’s bad all through the year, not just at Christmas time.”

Shopper Geoffrey Hill, 54, who lives in Barton Street, said: “I went in, saw the queue, turned around and came straight back out.

“There are queues here regularly. I’ve now got to go elsewhere to get things sorted out.”

[BELIAL]

16 mile round trip to outlying PO is apparently now the quickest option in my town. So green