Sheffield post office set to close this year

Following the closure of a Fulton’s store in Firth Park, the future of a post office located inside the store is now uncertain.

It is understood that the staff at Firth Park post office have been given three months notice, at the end of which, the post office will close.

Firth Park resident, Neil Lawrie, aged 59, said: “I use the post office daily, because I have a small business. I know them quite well down there. The manager was quite upset.

“I have been here more than 20 years. It is always pretty busy, pensioners use it for their pensions. I can’t imagine Firth Park without a post office.

“I don’t know where I will go to post things now. It is so convenient for me and for the whole community. I can’t imagine how any replacement can work.

"Firth Park is quite a poor area but it is always quite bustling. I don’t think there is any reason the post office can say it was a quiet post office.

“If it does go there is a massive group of people who won’t realise they need it until it is gone. It is an important part of the community.”

Firth Park Labour councillors, Fran Belbin, Abdul Khayum, and Abtisam Mohamed contacted the area manager of the post office on February 3, who said: "We will do our upmost to maintain the services we currently provide to the Firth Park community. The Post Office do not want any branch to close – in fact we work towards opening branches, Ideally this would be in the same location as at present, if not then there are other alternatives that we can explore"

A joint statement from the Firth Park councillors, said: “The current post office is run as a Crown Post Office which means when the current owner/franchisee has decided not to continue, the Post Office usually will find another owner/franchisee and if the current location isn't suitable it could potentially be housed in another appropriate local business.

“We will keep you updated as changes from the Post Office are communicated to us.”