'Huge benefit to the town': bid to save Morecambe post office

Members of Lancashire County Council voted unanimously for the authority to write to the Post Office’s chief executive to demand that the so-called ‘crown’ outlet in the resort, along with another in Poulton-le-Fylde, are spared.

The pair are amongst more than a hundred of the facilities – owned and operated directly by the Post Office rather than under franchise agreements with subpostmasters – slated to be shut down as part of a transformation plan announced late last year.

Morecambe South division representative Charlie Edwards said the disappearance of the main post office, on Victoria Street, would be deeply damaging to a town centre that had “survived better than others” – and even boasted a shopping precinct with “more occupied units than empty ones”.

Bringing a notice of motion on the issue, he quoted Morecambe Business Improvement District manager John O’Neill’s description of the post office as playing “a vital role in keeping people connected in a time when we are increasingly becoming disconnected”.

However, County Cllr Edwards said that as well as a “strong emotional argument” to save the branch, there was also an economic case for it.

“It’s a huge driver of footfall into the town, creating loads of jobs and supporting…cash businesses such as pubs, cafes and charity shops.

“Yes, of course you can go online to do your banking – but if you’re a pub and you run out of pound coins and you open in half an hour, there’s nowhere you can order that online.

“The post office[s] pick up what the banks leave behind.

“[Also], the back of the building is the Royal Mail sorting office, so it won’t be able to be sold for very much…so we’ll still have an empty building, still paying for it to be maintained,” he added.

Speaking in November when the closure of 115 branches was announced nationwide – under a wider overhaul of the service – Post Office chair Nigel Railton said it would help boost postmasters’ pay by adding £250m annually to their remuneration by 2030.