Inverness councillor speaks out on threatened closure of city centre post office branch
An Inverness councillor is appalled that the city centre’s post office branch has been marked for closure.
Councillor Michael Gregson (Inverness Central, Labour) has deplored the Post Office plans to close 115 post offices across the country, including the Queensgate site if no suitable buyer is found to franchise it out.
“The Queensgate post office, after the closure of several local sub post offices, is a quality service in the heart of the city,” Cllr Gregson said.
• Inverness residents express concern over potential Post Office closure
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“People have barely got used to the last round of closures, and some communities have been hit particularly badly. But to do this now, as the Post Office’s disgraceful conduct towards sub-postmasters/ mistresses in the Horizon scandal is fresh in our minds, and still unresolved, is foolish.
“There is much talk these days about ‘reputational damage’ - well this is a good example of how to damage yourself. The Post Office should be working hard to reinstate public trust, not further erode it.
“And to close a valuable main post office, like Queensgate, and replace it with small branches in shops, dependent on the retailers’ goodwill and unlikely to offer the same range of services for the hours needed, is a diminution of provision. This is unacceptable, and I am happy to stand with others in opposing this blow to Highlanders.”
