Video: Notts TV’s Hugh Casswell finds out the views of Stapleford residents
A Nottinghamshire post office will not relocate into an off-licence after local residents rallied against the proposal.
The Stapleford post office is currently situated on Church Street and the owner has no interest in renewing its lease with it due to expire soon.
After a public consultation, Bargain Booze was planned to be the new home for the post office in the town.
However the owner of Bargain Booze in Stapleford has now backed out after more than 200 local residents signed a position against it with politicians then calling for the proposal to be scrapped.
Residents had raised concerns about the plan as soon as it was announced.
The Post Office will continue in its current location until a new shop is found.
Stapleford Salvation Army’s Captain Marcus Mylechreest said: “The Post Office is a place that provides many services to the community and has done for many years all across the country, but to put it into an off-licence just seems contrary to the purpose of it.
“There must be a better location for it; we are a Christian church and charity who believe in an alcohol free lifestyle for over 150 years and we’ve seen the damage alcohol can cause.
“The though of putting a Post Office into a place that perhaps vulnerable people will be accessing with alcohol in such close proximity does not seem sensible.”
Every business in Stapleford needs to be aware they can take this on
The new location of the post office will now go back to a public consultation with other businesses in Stapleford to be asked if they would like to have the desk in their shop.
Stapleford councillor Richard McRae said: “It might be the only time someone gets to speak to someone when they go to the post office and to get different kinds of benefits or pensions.
“We need to make sure every single business in Stapleford is aware that there is an opportunity to take it on.
“Then any business that’s interested in doing it should find out the information and if they do want to take it on, then we need to be talking them to that business and helping them.”
The Post Office issued a statement about the developments.
A spokesperson said: “As the proposed new operator has decided not to progress their application to operate the branch from their premises, the branch will continue to operate from the current premises.
“Any further new proposal would be subject to another six-week period of local public consultation.
“We would like to reassure customers that we are committed to maintaining services in this area.”
