Ellesmere Sorting office WILL be closed

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ROYAL Mail ended months of speculation last week with the confirmation that it will be closing the Delivery Office in Ellesmere.
From Monday, May 11, mail for Ellesmere will be sorted and delivered to the Ellesmere area from the sorting office in Maesbury Road, Oswestry.

Royal Mail say the move will not affect any services at Ellesmere Post Office, and that there will be no compulsory redundancies.

Ellesmere Town Council who have been calling for talks with Royal Mail since the rumours began some months ago, were informed of the closure via a letter last Wednesday.

Town Clerk Pete Holloway said: "We don't intend just to accept this letter. Local businesses and residents in the community are almost unanimous in wanting to keep the delivery office."

Royal Mail say the changes will improve service to customers who will be able to collect undeliverable mail from the Post Office throughout the day, in the current arrangement this is only possible for a few hours of the day.

Sceptical

Mr Holloway added: "I am sceptical about services not being affected because of the travel between Oswestry and Ellesmere to get the mail has issues for staff and the environment. I remain to be convinced that timing of deliveries won't be detrimentally affected. We will be referring the issue back to Owen Paterson."

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "The move will aid Royal Mail's efficiency by disposing of an old, not fit-for-purpose property, while better using Oswestry Delivery Office.

"It will also remove the duplication of some work and reduce the need to pass any 'miss sorted' mail between the two sites."

The spokesperson added that there would be no compulsory redundancies, staff would be reimbursed for any extra mileage and will be in a better working environment.

Letters will be sent to all addresses currently served by Ellesmere Delivery Office explaining the move in detail.

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson said he was astonished and 'not very impressed' by the turn-around.

"Only a week ago I had a letter confirming that there are no plans to shut the delivery office and I have asked them to clarify it.

"I will be writing to the post office to seek an explanation," he said.

What effect do you think the closure will have on Ellesmere?