TILLICOULTRY Post Office was shut down last week after the owner refused to let financial investigators into the shop.

Hundreds of customers couldn’t believe their eyes when they turned up at the High Street outlet last Tuesday only to find the doors closed – bang in the middle of one of the busiest weeks of the year.

A notice in the window claimed the post office was closed due to a dispute between the post office landlord and postmaster over unpaid rent.

However a Post Office spokesman confirmed that the proprietor had her contract terminated after a financial audit and was refusing to allow the Post Office entry to the premise to carry out further checks.

He said: “Unfortunately I can confirm Tillicoutry Post Office branch is closed because of circumstances beyond our control

“The proprietor of the shop in which the Post Office branch is based has withdrawn permission for Post Office Ltd to use the premises without prior notice, resulting in this unavoidable closure.

“The subpostmaster and the proprietor are the same person. The subpostmaster had her contract terminated after a financial audit, we wanted to reopen the post office with a temporary agent in the current premises to continue to provide service to our customers,  but we are being refused access to do so. We are working hard to find another partner nearby and we will do so as quickly as possible.

“We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to our customers.”

Distressed customers called the Wee County News about concerns their cards and parcels may not reach their loved ones in time.

One said: “I’m really worried about what’s happening with the post office. I go there to collect my pension and it’s difficult to get to Coalsnaughton or Alva. OAP’s have trouble getting around at the best of times never mind in this weather and with Christmas just around the corner this is a terrible thing to have happened. I hope it’s sorted soon.”

Another said: “It’s aggrivated everyone in Tillicoultry and I’m worried about the pensioners who rely on this service. I run a small business so I use the post office on a  regular basis.”

Ochil MSP Keith Brown, said: “My office has been in regular contact with the Royal Mail since I became aware of the situation last week.  I understand that the Royal Mail have been unable to reach an agreement with the owner of the current Post Office building and are now looking at other possible options.

“I did suggest that a temporary mobile service be made available but was told this was not possible. I have stressed the need to act fast in this matter and will continue to press for a speedy resolution.”

Ochil and South Perthshire MP Gordon Banks said: “I have been in regular contact with Post Office Ltd over this issue and I am disappointed that a week or so later the village is still without Post Office services. This is not acceptable for Post Office customers and it is vital a service outlet is re-established urgently.

“The loss of service is a concern and a serious inconvenience at any time of the year but at the Christmas period the impact is accentuated.

Mr Banks concluded: “I understand there have been management issues which have led to the current position but this is little comfort for the people of Tillicoultry who rely on the Post Office.

“It is vitally important that Post Office Ltd is able to provide services in the village again very quickly and I urge them to leave no stone unturned in doing so.”

	29-12-2009 16:36
	why on earth would gordon banks care about a local post office when his Labour Government are doing their best to permanently close them all?

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