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Premises found for Post Office in Grantown





Grantown Post Office appears to have a future after the owners of the newsagent’s in the town said they will step into the soon to be created breach.

Grantown News has formally requested to take over the running of the vital service and now Post Office chiefs are carrying out a public consultation on the move.

Current operators Stewart and Mel Dick have handed in their notice and will stop delivering the Post Office counter service at The Wishing Well by the end of January.

It had prompted fears the Strathspey capital could be without Post Office premises and instead depend on a mobile unit visiting by appointment.

The switch will also result in longer opening hours from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.

Local Highland councillor Muriel Cockburn outside of Grantown News. She told the Strathy she is delighted that it appears that new premises have been found for the vital facility.
Local Highland councillor Muriel Cockburn outside of Grantown News. She told the Strathy she is delighted that it appears that new premises have been found for the vital facility.

Newsagent Michelle Martin, who runs the business with husband James, told the Strathy: “We both felt that Grantown could not lose its Post Office – it is just too important to the town.

“We are already here seven days of the week so we thought let’s go for it and hopefully it will work out.

“We have had very good feedback so far and we hope it will stay like that during the consultation.

“Most customers seem to be over the moon. There were a lot of people in the town who were upset at the prospect of losing premises for the Post Office.”

Mr Dick said he is delighted a new home appears to have been secured.

He explained: “It was not an easy decision for us to make to resign as postmasters but with Mel’s health in mind it was, however, a necessary decision.

“We have offered our support to James and Michelle as they navigate what is a lengthy and rigorous application process to become postmasters.

“We would encourage locals to do the same both during the consultation where Post Office Ltd will seek the views of the community and perhaps more importantly during the early days of the new location as they get to grips with how things run on a daily basis.

“We wish James and Michelle the very best as they embark on this new and rewarding role.”

Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing also welcomed the preservation of the facilities for Grantown and the vicinity.

He said: “I thank everyone involved. The message, though, regards all our local shops and businesses is that unless we use them we risk losing them.”

Customers will access Post Office services at a low-screened, open-plan, modern serving point forming part of the retail counter at Grantown News.

A Post Office Ltd spokesperson said: “The branch would offer a wide range of Post Office products and services over longer opening hours, so customers could access their Post Office when it’s convenient.”


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