Post Office says it is 'working hard' to re-open Cold Bath Road branch

Despite proposals to downgrade Harrogate's Crown Post Office, the organisation has reassured customers that it is '˜working hard' to re-open the Cold Bath Road branch.
Post Office says it is 'working hard' to re-open Cold Bath Road branchPost Office says it is 'working hard' to re-open Cold Bath Road branch
Post Office says it is 'working hard' to re-open Cold Bath Road branch

In the last few months, the future of postal services in Harrogate has been called into question following plans to replace the main branch on Cambridge Road with a concession in WHSmith.

But the issue has been compounded by the closure of the Cold Bath Road Post Office, following the departure of the most recent franchise holder.

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Harrogate Borough Councillor for theValley Gardens ward, Sam Gibbs, said that local residents were keen for the Post Office to be re-installed but that it would be the landlord’s decision as to what happens next.

Coun Gibbs said: “The problem that we have got is that it is not the Post Office’s decision.

“The landlord can effectively decide what goes in there. It could be a butchers, a greengrocers, or a newsagents - whoever is the highest bidder.

“But we are hoping that it will re-open as a Post Office, because that’s what local people want.

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“Whoever takes it on next will have the choice whether to have a Post Office desk in there.”

He added: “It’s a little bit of a waiting game.”

But Coun Gibbs said that the most important thing was that the shop re-opens.

He said: “The main thing for me is that the shop re-opens because an empty unit is no use to anybody.”

However the Post Office Ltd has said it is committed to re-opening the branch on Cold Bath Road.

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A Post Office spokesperson said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of Cold Bath Road Post Office.

“We would like to reassure customers that the decision to suspend services at any of our branches is never taken lightly and we take very seriously any decision to temporarily close a branch, and will only do so when it is warranted.”

“We understand and appreciate how much communities rely on our services and we are working hard to restore services for the community as quickly as possible.”

The Post Office also held a drop-in session at The Majestic Hotel on Monday, where residents could discuss the proposals to move the Cambridge Road post office onto the first floor of WHSmith.

The organisation said around 80 people attended the session and that the main themes of questions were around access to the shopping centre, parking, and loss of Crown status.