Town says farewell to last remaining Post Office

A town's last remaining Post Office has closed after the operator resigned, meaning the next closest branch for residents will be more than two miles away.

Minehead's only branch currently exists inside a Co-Op on The Avenue, but shut for the final time at 13:00 BST, with the Co-op itself set to close at the weekend.

The business had hoped to create a replacement store on Summerland Avenue but the planning application was rejected. It means the closest Post Office branch will now be in the nearby town of Dunster.

A spokesperson for the Post Office said it is "currently finalising plans for a temporary solution" with a permanent replacement branch in Minehead also in the works.

The Co-Op first announced its intention to close the store on The Avenue, in April, after plans to redevelop the site, which also included creating retirement apartments, were rejected by Somerset Council.

A council statement said the plans "were not in-keeping with the character of the area".

Since that decision was taken, the Post Office has been working to find a solution and said plans for a temporary alternative are being finalised.

"We understand that post office services are very important to our customers in Minehead, and while we finalise the plans for the new permanent branch we are also making plans to open a temporary post office," a spokesperson said.

"The temporary post office will operate full time, and we are working as quickly as possible to get the branch up and running.

"The opening date for the temporary branch hasn't yet been confirmed but we will share further details about this as well as the location over the coming weeks."

Local resident Carol said the closure was "horrendous to be perfectly honest - and everything else is closing as well".

Another Minehead resident, Dave, said: "I think it's a joke.

"The size of the town, it should have a Post Office - particularly with the high number of retired people living here.

"It's just going to make it more and more difficult for them."

MP for Tiverton and Minehead Rachel Gilmour said ensuring residents have access to local services is a "key focus".

"I am delighted that the Post Office have identified an operator who can pick up the service in Minehead, and that they are in the final stages of the process of confirming that operator," she said.

"I will keep working with Post Office UK to ensure that this transfer is as smooth as possible for my constituents in Minehead, and that they are supported through any transition period."

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