MBE sets up new alternative ‘Post Office’ venture

Mail Boxes Etc. (UK) Ltd., (MBE) is offering sub postmasters and independent retailers an opportunity to provide alternative postal services under a new franchised concession. This could create postal services in areas where they did not exist previously and would also enable sub postmasters facing closure to stay in business and continue to serve their local communities.
MBE is an experienced franchisor with a rapidly expanding network of more than 100 high street-based centres in the UK that specialise in a wide range of postal, communication and business services for local companies and members of the public.

The new franchise proposal offers a proven business solution that mirrors the existing MBE model and could make excellent use of former post office premises. Outlets in former post offices and convenience stories will handle post and parcels and also offer a wide range of other popular services currently offered by the Post Office network including, for example, foreign currency exchange, bill payment services and money transmission.

MBE’s new developments in this area will be spearheaded by Gary Coyle, a rural postmaster for the last 20 years. He is the founder of Postmasternet Ltd, a company that successfully courted big business to introduce new income streams for ailing post offices. He said: “We are confident that our proposition will appeal to sub postmasters, especially those who want to stay in their own area and are entrepreneurial. There are limitless opportunities, particularly in places with large numbers of small businesses and people working from home.”