Businesses worried by Royal Mail changes

Small businesses are being hit financially after the morning collection was abandoned by Royal Mail, a situation that could get worse when more Post Office branches close, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has said.

A Post Office spokeswomen said that the developments are “the way it is” after a network change carried out by Royal Mail.

“Prices normally go up in April anyway, but this time collections have been impacted most by the network change programme,” she commented.

Director of financial services company Gaia Partnership Brigid Benson claimed that errors are no more commonplace since the changes were implemented.

A spokesman at Postwatch, the watchdog, in turn suggested that the current Post Office network is “unsustainable” in its existing guise.

Because the “long-term” future of the system has to be strengthened, managed change is the correct idea, he added.

He also asserted that customers are encouraged to give feedback before any alterations are made.

The National Federation of Retail Newsagents has this week said that retail outlets with sub post offices facing closure should look at other ways to generate income.

Citing a report carried out by the government, the FPB added that smaller firms have not benefited from Post Office restructuring.