Aviemore Post Office in line for new operators
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Aviemore Post Office could soon be under new management and providing a long-awaited return to longer regular opening hours.
In line to take over are local businessmen Stephen Bruce and Chris Lewis who are no strangers to working behind a counter – the pair run the Kilted Fudge Company on the Dalfaber Industrial Estate at the north end of the village.
The pair were interviewed for the roles of postmasters on Monday by Post Office managers and they found out the good news later the same day that they had been successful with their application.
Mr Bruce said they did not know when exactly they would be able to take over running business as they still had to go through the training process.
But he said it was important that the village retained its community post office.
He said: “I don’t know if it will be ready to take over for Christmas – we just don’t know when we will get in there and there is work to do when we get in there.”
Mr Bruce said it would provide the ideal outlet for Kilted Fudge, which has been running since 2014, with a more central location compared with the shop at the industrial estate.
He continued: “We are doing really well where we are. We have a small shop but a lot of people don’t know we are here.”
He said recent publicity including featuring in comedian Susan Calman’s Secret Scotland on Channel 5 earlier this month has helped to raise their business’ profile.
But Mr Bruce said this new venture made sense as they were no longer able to sell products at Highland games and agricultural shows which had all been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Because of the way the year has gone we have been looking at the business model,” he said. “Things had to change – those events were our main business. I don’t know if they will be back next year. We are just trying to protect our business.
“We did look at the post office four years ago, when the postmaster was looking to sell it, but we were too new to our business.”
Mr Bruce said there was a real need for the post office in Aviemore and added: “It isn’t really a village any more, it’s a small town, it needs a post office.
“People don’t want to be driving five or seven miles to do their postal duties.”
The couple are planning to continue offering post office services, such as banking, as well as selling items such as lottery tickets and newspapers.
A Post Office spokesman said: “We are in advanced discussions with a potential new operator for our Aviemore branch and hope to share further news with the local community as soon as we’re able to.”
The post office, which is at the Myrtlefield Shopping Centre, is currently being run by Forres postmaster Paul McBain on a part-time basis.
Mr McBain has been providing cover for four hours per day, three days of the week, at the branch.
Previously, it had been run by Ernest and Debra Kopp who owned Aviemore News.
