Comments on: Post offices open at the wrong times http://jonathan.rawle.org/2006/12/14/post-offices-open-at-the-wrong-times/ Sat, 20 Apr 2013 03:26:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Keith Jones http://jonathan.rawle.org/2006/12/14/post-offices-open-at-the-wrong-times/#comment-145217 Keith Jones Wed, 20 May 2009 12:08:54 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2006/12/14/post-offices-open-at-the-wrong-times/#comment-145217 It would be wonderful if all public services could change their hours to suit everyone, but the fact remains this is not feasible, yes many Post Office’s are located in convenience stores such as mine but the problem is staff that work in the Post Office are highly trained and approved by the Post Office it is not an easy job contrary to what people may think and it is not a job that many younger people want these days and certainly not a job someone wants for the odd 2 hours of an evening. For example I myself am up at 5.00am to work in the shop until I open the Post Office then when the Post Office closes I am back in the shop, or doing the books or down the warehouse or several other things that need doing. There are also many things a Postmaster has to do after the Post Office is closed every day such as balancing, stock ordering and training constantly with the many new changes and constant updates to procedures that come in every day. A Postmaster/Store owner generally works up to 18 hours a day 7 days a week and staff is expensive and post office staff hard to come by especially as there is practically 1 convenience store closing every day since the recession started and the ones that are left are struggling hard financially to stay open, especially as the majority of people are complaining about their village shop and Post Office closing but are reducing their purchasing in these places in favour of the big store but want the convenience of a local shop when they need it but who is going to pay for it to stay open as they are losing money daily and without the shop the Post Office will close any way, so please do not complain about the opening hours but complain about the lack of support for local shops which sustain the Sub Post Offices that is if you want them to stay open. We are on the verge of closing and we are the only shop and Post office for 4 miles with many elderly, disabled and unemployed, the last shop in the village, when we go there will not be another shop or Post Office here again, but unfortunately the saying applies here “USE IT OR LOSE IT” but people do not bother until it is too late but will certainly complain afterwards.

]]> By: Pat Shore http://jonathan.rawle.org/2006/12/14/post-offices-open-at-the-wrong-times/#comment-23585 Pat Shore Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:11:41 +0000 http://jonathan.rawle.org/2006/12/14/post-offices-open-at-the-wrong-times/#comment-23585 Get your voice heard – the rural post office network – http://www.ruralaction.org.uk

Everyone has a view on the future of the rural post office network – but will everyone’s views be heard? Perhaps you have a good idea on the future of the network; perhaps your own experience shows a vital aspect has been over-looked. Now there is a simple way to get your point across quickly and easily. The recent popularity in ‘blogging’ – contributing to a weblog or online message board – has inspired ruralnet|uk to set up a blog for this issue: a simple technique allowing thousands to add their personal comments to the debate. Over half of all UK homes have access to an online computer – as well as libraries, youth clubs, schools, day centres, UK online centres, and even some Post Offices! Anyone with an interest can visit the blog and leave their comment on the consultation questions, and read what others are saying.

ruralnet|uk Chief Executive, Simon Berry said “Government consultations are all very well, but they are time consuming and complicated. Fine for the professionals but not for the people affected. It will take just a few moments for anyone to have their say in our collective consultation and their views will go straight to the government.”

Visit http://www.ruralaction.org.uk, click any of the ‘Comment’ links and have your say. You can comment on as little or as much as you like. It is as simple and quick as that. There is no printing or sending to do.

At the end of the consultation period, ruralnet|uk undertakes to summarise objectively all the comments received, and feed them into the Government’s consultation procedure. Says Simon: “We were the first to use the internet to run a collective consultation on the ‘first’ rural white paper way back in the spring of 1999 when we received 1154 contributions. It was said to be “one of the most useful submissions received”. So we know that a collective view from rural people, presented by us will carry a lot of weight.

So, don’t be left out: go to http://www.ruralaction.org.uk state your views and have an impact on the future of post office services in rural areas.

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