- 04/09/2013
- Posted by: Joyce Watson MS
- Category: Feature
Assembly Member Joyce Watson has welcomed news that the Post Office in the Co-operative store in Bridge Street is to undergo significant refurbishment later this month.
The town-centre branch will be upgraded to one of the Post Office’s new ‘main-style’ branches, offering customers a more modern open plan environment, a full range of products and services and longer opening hours.
Post Office services will now be available over the retail counter from 6am to 11pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
Mrs Watson commented:
“This is very welcome news. It is good to see the Post Office investing in our communities, providing important financial services at a time when other rural services are being reduced or closed.”
Lampeter’s new-look Post Office is scheduled to open on Tuesday 1 October at 1pm – it will close for refurbishment a few days earlier on Thursday 26 September at 5.30pm. The Co-op store will remain open as normal during this period, however, and customers are advised to use post office services in nearby Llanybydder or Llanfair Clydogau in the interim.
While Mrs Watson welcomed the new service, she said she still has “serious misgivings” about the impending sell off of Royal Mail.
In July the Labour mid and west AM warned that privatising Royal Mail will be “disastrous” for rural postal services. Speaking at first minister’s questions (9 July), Mrs Watson said the sell-off threatens the survival of village post offices.
“It is the same old Tory story,” Mrs Watson said, “break it up, sell it off, massive job cuts, worse services, a quick buck, and long-term price rises. My worry is that the financial stability of post offices in rural villages will be put under intolerable strain.”
In June, Business Secretary Vince Cable confirmed that the UK government will sell Royal Mail through a flotation on the London Stock Exchange, possibly in the autumn.
If you want to say what you think about the new services or have any questions about them you can email [email protected] or write to FREEPOST PO Consultation.
ENDS
