Post Office Closure Plan for Angus Area

Four Post Offices to Close, Three Go to Outreach  

 

Angus MP Mike Weir has expressed concern at the proposals for the Angus  area revealed in the Post Office Area Plan for North East Scotland which was published today (Wednesday.)

 

Under the proposals Arbroath Cairnie Street, Forfar Dundee Road Kirriemuir Southmuir and Kilry Post offices will close and three country Post Offices, at Inverkeillor, Glamis and Carmyllie will go to Outreach services.  

Commenting on the proposals Mr Weir said

 

“Whilst the overall impact on Angus is not as bad as feared the changes will be bitter blows to the affected communities.”

 

“I am pleased that Montrose, which has been badly hit by past closures, has not bee affected this time around and the Brechin area has, as expected, been spared as it is in a postcode excepted area.”

 

“The closures in Forfar and Kirriemuir will, however, mean that both these towns are reduced to one post office. This is likely to put an intolerable strain on the services available, especially in a town the size of Forfar. This is a ludicrous situation. “

 

“Arbroath will also see problems with the closure of Cairnie Street since it is expected that most of its customers would transfer to the main Abbeygate Post office. There are already concerns about the length of queues at the Abbeygate at busy times and this will only make matters worse.”   

 

 

Mr Weir added that the proposals for the country area were of concern.

 

“The proposed closure of Inverkeillor was  of huge concern, not only since the Post Office is the only shop left in the village but also because it will leave a huge gap in the network provision with nothing between Arbroath and Montrose. Again I am urgently seeking views both on the proposed closure and whether the proposed two sessions at the Church Hall offer an adequate alternative. Similarly the proposal to give only one two hour session in Carmyllie was unlikely to provide an adequate service.”

 

Mr Weir said it was likely that there would be great anger in Glamis at the proposal to reduce the services there to three two hour sessions a week.

 

“I recently addressed a public meeting in the village on the issue and it is very clear that there is huge anger at any threat to Post Office services”   

 

The closure at Kilry was being proposed as the Post Office indicated it had a very low usage. Mr Weir has written to residents in the area seeking their views on the proposal.

 

Commenting on the overall situation Mr Weir said

 

“I have all along opposed the whole Post Office closure programme as I believe it is wrongheaded and unfair. It is, however, being implemented by the UK government and the Post Office and in this process we have to try and retain as many Post Offices as possible. In order to challenge proposals we must show that the Post Office got something wrong, or failed to take into account material facts. A mere petition opposing closure will have very little impact.”