LOCAL politicians have expressed disappointment as the Post Office has confirmed the branch in Bangor’s Main Street will close next month, while the company has announced it will soon advertise the opportunity for a small branch in the same vicinity.
The city centre office will close at 3pm on Wednesday, November 12.
Following a review of its provision in the city, the company has agreed to enhance Post Office services at three branches ‘to meet the needs of customers in the local area who currently use the Bangor branch’.
A spokesperson for Post Office said it had taken on board feedback raised during a public consultation, and recognised that ‘some, particularly our more vulnerable customers who rely on a Post Office services in this vicinity, may find it more challenging to travel to the alternative branches’.
As a result, it had been agreed to advertise the opportunity for a small branch in the vicinity of the current location, the spokesperson said, adding this would be a ‘smaller local branch providing everyday Post Office services, but not the wide range of services currently available’.
Post Office Limited is to make improvements at three branches within 0.7 miles of the city centre office, which are operated by Henderson Retail – at Belfast Road, Ballyholme Road and Abbeyhill, on the Newtownards Road. These facilities, the spokesperson noted, are ‘open daily, have much longer opening hours [than the Main Street branch] and have free parking, making it very convenient for customers to visit’.
The Belfast Road Post Office, which is open daily from 8am to 8pm, is to be upgraded from a local to a mains model with extra services including vehicle tax, documentation and savings account verification, travel currency on demand, travel insurance on demand and potentially Western Union money transfer.
Ballyholme Road, which is the closest to the Main Street branch, and located at the Spar/Maxol filling station, is currently a lighter format Post Office drop and collect branch offering pre-paid mail services only. It will be enhanced to a Post Office local, thereby adding banking and full mail services. It is open daily from 6am to midnight.
Abbeyhill Post Office will have the passport check and send service transfer to this branch which is open daily from 8am to 8pm.
Additionally, there are a further three branches, The Newsagent, Ballyholme, Spar, Rathmore Road and Eurospar, Ashbury Avenue..
The spokesperson continued: “We believe by making changes to existing branches that there would be enough provision of Post Office services to meet the needs of customers in the local area. The aim of the new proposed opportunity for a small branch in the town centre is to recognise the needs of vulnerable customers close to the existing branch.
North Down MLAs Stephen Dunne and Peter Martin have both said they are disappointed and frustrated by the decision from the Post Office, with Mr Dunne saying the company has ‘ignored the strong feeling of the local community with this decision’.
Meanwhile, Alliance Assemblywoman Connie Egan noted the Post Office had said they would advertise the opportunity to operate a local model branch in the immediate vicinity of the closed Main Street premises.
Calling on the Post Office to reconsider the decision, Mr Dunne said the Bangor branch ‘has been at the heart of our city for many years, providing a vital public service for local residents, businesses, and vulnerable customers who depend on it’.
He added: “This is yet another blow to Bangor city centre which has suffered from a repeated series of business closures in recent years. While the Post Office has said that alternative branches will be upgraded, this is simply not a like-for-like replacement for the convenience, accessibility, and heritage of the Main Street office. Bangor deserves better than to see another key service disappear from our town centre.”
Mr Dunne’s party colleague Peter Martin revealed they had both met with the Post Office, after it was first announced the branch was to close.
He referred to a consultation where the community had opposed the closure, which was ‘just a tick box exercise – the decision was already made’.
The closure of the branch, Mr Martin continued, removed ‘an essential service from our city centre, impacting the countless residents and businesses who rely on its services; whether that is posting a package or banking assistance, the Post Office is crucial’.
He added: “The Main Street branch has been a cornerstone of our community, opening its letterboxes in 1936 it has provided invaluable services. Its closure is a significant blow to Bangor’s high street and the broader community.”
Mr Martin stated: “I will push to ensure this fantastic historic building is retained and given a new lease of life, fitting with the regeneration that we are seeing in Bangor.”
Also expressing her disappointment at the closure decision was North Down MLA Connie Egan.
Noting she had also met with the Post Office during the consultation process, when she put on record her opposition to the closure, Ms Egan said she welcomed the company had responded to feedback from local communities, and would advertise the opportunity to operate a local model branch in the immediate vicinity of the closed Main Street premises.
She added: “However, my thoughts remain with the staff and local residents which this continues to provide uncertainty for.”
