Decision on Four Post Office Branches

Post Office Ltd announced decisions on the future of four Post Office branches in the Network Change programme for Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute.

The decision follows a six-week public consultation, which ended on 3 March, 2008.

The closures of Pollokshaws, 193 Shawbridge Street, Glasgow; University Stirling, The McRoberts Centre, University of Stirling; Clynder , Victoria Buildings, Helensburgh, and Westmuir Street, 8 Backcauseway, Glasgow, are confirmed today and they will close at the end of April at the earliest.

The four branches replaced four others which were originally proposed for closure as part of the Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute Network Change Area Plan: Cultenhove in Stirling, Auchenback in Barrhead, and Kelvindale and Hyndland in Glasgow. They were withdrawn as a result of feedback received during consultation, which ended on 3 December 2007.

The four closures today means that a total of 44 branches will close under the Greater Glasgow, Central Scotland and Argyll & Bute Area Plan. Post Office services in the area will be provided through a network of 265 branches, including 3 outreach services through a mobile post office. This network supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the UK Government and ensures that 99.9% of this area’s population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

Sally Buchanan, Post Office Ltd’s Network Development Manager Scotland, said: “These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly. We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation. We believe that the amended plan announced today offers our customers in this area the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the UK Government’s minimum access criteria and the other factors the UK Government has asked us to consider.”