Post Office bosses have confirmed the closure of Calverley’s branch – and have this week opened applications for an alternative provider.
As previously reported by WLD, Waheeda and Asaf Hussain are quitting Calverley Stores – potentially leaving the village without a lifeline Post Office branch.
They have sold the shop, which will become a general store, leaving it to the Post Office to either find someone to run the sub Post Office or leave Calverley folk having to travel to Woodhall, Farsley or further away for services.
A consultation into the future of Post Office provision in the village says the service ‘will be closing temporarily’ on Monday, 11 March 2024 at 5pm.
Tajinder Khehra, Post Office network provision lead, said: “The provision of a Post Office service to our customers in the local community is important to us, and we will continue to work hard to restore services in the area as soon as possible. We would welcome any applications from potential retail partners interested in running a branch locally on our behalf.
“We would like to assure you that we are currently investigating the options available which will enable us to reinstate a Post Office service to the local community. In exploring this, it is important that any future service is sustainable for the person operating the service, and for Post Office Limited.
“Future provision will reflect customer numbers and usage and we may take the opportunity to establish an alternative type of service. This may be a local style branch which runs alongside an established retail shop in newly refurbished premises and creates a more modern and convenient experience for customers.”
The vacancy is currently being advertised on www.runapostoffice.co.uk.
The Post Office consultation can be found here.
The announcement by Waheeda and Asaf Hussain comes as hundreds of sub postmasters pursue claims for compensation following prosecutions and losses due to the flawed Horizon computer system.
A community fundraiser to thank the family for their contributions to the village has received 125 donations, raising more than £2,000.
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I wonder if the job description includes being falsely accused of stealing £XX,000, prosecuted for same and then totally abandoned after you are completely exonerated. Something they left out in the past.