South Yorkshire post office closure leaves customers with one-mile journey to next branch

The post office, inside the Heron Foods store on High Street will close on July 27, because of ‘diminishing demand’.

Applications are open for anyone with suitable premises in the area who wishes to operate the post office, but unless a successful applicant is found, customers will have to travel more than a mile to use the nearest branch at Brampton.

A Post Office spokesman, said: “The operator for Wombwell psot office has resigned and the branch will be closing at that location on Monday, July 27, at 5.30pm.

“The vacancy is advertised on runapostoffice.co.uk and we are working hard to keep any period of closure to a minimum as we know how important Post Office services are to a community.

“In the meantime, alternative branches will include Brampton and Jump.”

A Heron spokesman said: “Unfortunately we’ve had to make the difficult decision to close the post office in the Wombwell store as a result of diminishing demand and a reduction in scale fees from Post Office.”

Coun Robert Frost, Barnsley Council Labour member for Wombwell, called the timing of the closure ‘appalling’, at a time where many will struggle to use public transport due to social distancing measures in place.

He said: “Wombwell is the largest principal town in Barnsley and is to be left without a post office.

“For many, travelling to Brampton or Jump will require the use of public transport at a time when, due to social distancing, travel by bus is not recommended and is unlikely to change before July.

“Many of their clients are elderly or disabled. Many were persuaded use the post office to do their banking as their bank branches have closed.

This has been caused by the Post Office privatisation and the use of franchising.

“Post offices should be run for public convenience not shareholder profits.

“I hope a replacement can quickly be found as the timing is appalling during the Covid-19 pandemic."

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