Post Office closures: No ‘final decision’ made over South Shields town centre branch

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No “final decision” has been made about the closure of the King Street Post Office, according to the South Shields Labour Party.

The South Shields Labour Party has reportedly received assurances from the Post Office that no final decision over the future of the King Street branch.

It follows an outcry of support for the South Shields branch from the town’s Labour Party, Member of Parliament, and the leader of South Tyneside Council.

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Cllr Michael Clare, the chair of the South Shields Labour Party, revealed at the end of November that he would be writing to Nigel Railton, the interim chair of the Post Office, expressing concern and requesting assurances that a Post Office will remain at the heart of King Street.

Following that correspondence, the Post Office has confirmed to Cllr Clare that no final decision has been taken.

South Shields Post Office, on King Street, is among 115 branches at risk of closure.South Shields Post Office, on King Street, is among 115 branches at risk of closure.
South Shields Post Office, on King Street, is among 115 branches at risk of closure. | Google Maps

A Post Office spokesperson stated: “Post Office has launched a new, five-year transformation plan that will deliver a new deal for postmasters, putting them at the heart of the business.

“To realise the Plan, Post Office is considering a range of initiatives to boost revenue, drive efficiency and reduce costs.

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“As part of this process, we are considering the future of our Directly Managed Branches (DMBs), which are loss making. However, no decisions have been made on any DMBs.

“We are inviting expressions of interest to operate Post Offices in all remaining DMB locations, including for South Shields, to gauge market interest and explore whether franchising could be a viable option.

“We will review all responses, sharing the results with relevant trade unions and other stakeholders.

“We want to ensure that we make the best decisions for the future of each of our DMBs, helping to strengthen the network for the benefit of customers and postmasters.”

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Cllr Clare has stated that he has been reassured by the commitment of the Post Office to engage fully with the Unions, staff and stakeholders.

He commented: “It is crucial that South Shields retains a post office, and whilst a Directly Managed Branch or Crown Office is the preferred option of the South Shields Labour Party and we will continue to campaign for this option.

“I am reassured that the Post Office will actively work to retain a Post Office in our town centre to meet the access criteria for the public set by the Government.

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“I have been contacted by a number of members of the public expressing support for a Post Office in King Street, and hopefully through effective dialogue a long term solution can be found.”

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