THE TOWN’S POST OFFICE located at 9, The Shambles is to close and PO Ltd is proposing the new service be housed within The Budgens Store at Kingston Mill.
We strongly object to this proposal.
The current Post Office an historic building has served the community in its present location for almost 77 years, the current management and staff is competent well known and perform an excellent service, all of which may be lost.
There are parking issues. Only two visitor spaces are available in the entire Kingston Mill project
The road adjacent to Budgeons is un-adopted, the one way system is currently unsafe and extra traffic and parking in Kingston Mill would make the site less safe and not as pedestrian friendly. The location is not suitable for disabled access.
The current landlord of the Post Office is suggesting PO Ltd failed to make potential applicants aware of beneficial terms and conditions and therefore the bidding arrangements may be flawed.
The relocation of the post office will have a detrimental effect on trade in The Shambles. Businesses are already finding economic conditions difficult and moving the post office will reduce footfall throughout the town and further harm trade. It is important for the community of Bradford on Avon that we have busy shops both in the old core of the town and the new trading centre.
Please log on to www.ipetitions.com/petition/bradfordonavonpostoffice/
and vote for the Post Office to remain in The Shambles and write to FREEPOST PO CONSULTATION, Bradford on Avon to voice your opinion. ![GetAttachment[1]](http://www.bradfordonavon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/GetAttachment1.jpg)
(submitted by David Allan)
January 29, 2013 - 11:52 am
I saw somewhere that Budgens was proposing to offer PO services throughout its opening hours. Is this true? If so I’m all for it, I work full time and getting to a post office is very difficult for me.
I don’t think nostalgia is a good reason for keeping things how they are but at the same time I’m wary of tying a public service such as the PO to a commercial enterprise such as a supermarket.
January 28, 2013 - 6:30 pm
HI
The people who have not been considered are Tudor News. They put in a bid which has not been made public.
There are NO public parking spaces in Kingston Mills and when the road gets adopted when the site if finished there will be alot of people getting ticketed for parking in the loading bays.
The unsafe/disabled unfriendly relates to the dangerous disregard for the one way system.
Also when walking along the pavement by Art is in the name the pavement to a blind person seems to carry on over the road and poor Mr Glanville nearly got run over recently.
When crossing from Lamb Yard to Budgens on the pavement with raised bits for disabled people the place to cross is behind a pillar and when someone comes back the wrong way then someone will die. A young lad on a scooter nearly got hit recently by a car coming back the wrong way.
When the post office was closed it made a huge difference to the businesses in the shambles.
The post office acts as a bank to many small businesses and change is vital, depositing money is also essential – this may not be offered at Budgens.
It has not been thought through enough and the consequences will be huge to many small independent businesses in this time of recession.
With the closure of businesses this will only affect all of us as the town looks bleak this will affect house prices.
SUpporting the local community is essential
January 16, 2013 - 6:03 pm
Hi Kevin
I don’t know why it should move. I’d be happy for it to stay where it is too.
Who are these genuine prospective clients who are interested in running it in The Shambles? If we knew who they were, perhaps we could lend some support to their efforts.
You say:
“The point of the website is the contrived process whereby Budgens appears to be the only prospective buyer.”
… I’m in the dark – which website are you referring to?
January 16, 2013 - 9:46 am
Dear Gilest,
Why should the PO move at all? There are some genuine prospective clients out there who are interested in taking on the PO. in the Shambles. The point of the website is the contrived process whereby Budgens appears to be the only prospective buyer. The short termism is obvious, in that if Budgens fail to make their targets they will either 1. Close the PO or 2. Close their store.
The pitfalls are obvious for BoA. Just look at what has happened to Jessops and HMV to see the consequences and impact on footfall in the town.
Yours
Kevin Wilford
January 15, 2013 - 10:37 pm
While I’d like to the Post Office kept in The Shambles as much as you would, I find some of the arguments you’re presenting against its move to Budgens baffling.
Parking – yes, the parking situation within the Kingston Mills development is woeful for visitors, but two visitor spaces is two more than are available at The Shambles.
Disabled access – the entrance to Budgens is flat, which cannot be said for the entrance to the Shambles Post Office.
A detrimental effect on trade in The Shambles – do you have data to back this up? When the Post Office was closed intermittently in recent months, was there a measurable effect on trade?
“Moving the Post Office will reduce footfall throughout the town” – how so? If the PO moves to Budgens, people will still have to come into the centre of town to use it. I don’t see how footfall will be reduced. It might be shifted slightly from one street to another, but the construction of Kingston Mills and the opening of Budgens and other shops around the square has already had that effect.
I stress: I’d like to see the PO stay where it is too. It’s beautiful and quaint and full of history.
But if, for whatever reason, it can no longer stay there, I’d much rather have a Post Office in Budgens than no Post Office in the town centre at all.