50 signatures reached
To: Somerset West and Taunton Council
Save Taunton's Main Post Office
Please step in and save our central Post Office.
Why is this important?
As a resident of Somerset’s County Town I am appalled to learn that Taunton’s main post office is closing. I believe that the new Somerset West and Taunton Council has a duty to ensure that our post office is saved, and call on the council to apply for the franchise and return this vital service into public ownership.
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/17520462.taunton-town-centre-will-be-without-a-post-office-from-april/
*** Update, 2nd April 2019 ***
Some of you may have seen that the Post Office has been granted a temporary stay of execution:
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/17542228.the-post-office-to-reopen-in-taunton-town-centre/
We went in to see what was going on and spoke with the staff. It’s in the hands of an interim manager (it seems to be a large corporation that the PO used in 2014 to advise it how to save money!). They are managing it temporarily and looking for another company to take on the franchise.
The staff are basically working in a very cold, derelict looking cavern of a building, all temporary. One of the experienced staff told me that having a PO in shop premises is not a great money-maker, and that they bring in enough to break even, which seems to me fine for an important public service!
We stayed long enough to talk to a number of customers who were all also disgusted with the state of things, and collected more signatures, and wishes for success with the campaign. Lots of agreement it should be in public hands and secure.
So, our petition continues; we ask the council to give this important public service a secure long-term home. Please sign!
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/17520462.taunton-town-centre-will-be-without-a-post-office-from-april/
*** Update, 2nd April 2019 ***
Some of you may have seen that the Post Office has been granted a temporary stay of execution:
https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/17542228.the-post-office-to-reopen-in-taunton-town-centre/
We went in to see what was going on and spoke with the staff. It’s in the hands of an interim manager (it seems to be a large corporation that the PO used in 2014 to advise it how to save money!). They are managing it temporarily and looking for another company to take on the franchise.
The staff are basically working in a very cold, derelict looking cavern of a building, all temporary. One of the experienced staff told me that having a PO in shop premises is not a great money-maker, and that they bring in enough to break even, which seems to me fine for an important public service!
We stayed long enough to talk to a number of customers who were all also disgusted with the state of things, and collected more signatures, and wishes for success with the campaign. Lots of agreement it should be in public hands and secure.
So, our petition continues; we ask the council to give this important public service a secure long-term home. Please sign!
