A PETITION has been launched to save the Post Office in Bewdley after it was announced that plans are in place for the service to close alongside the town’s Morrisons.
Morrisons has announced that the store on Load Street is on its proposed list of 100 shop closures.
Because of this, the Post Office has confirmed that should this happen, they would also close in the next few months.
A spokesperson for Morrisons said a review has identified a number of stores, which were part of the McColl’s acquisition back in 2022, which are loss-making, despite remedial action.
The spokesperson added: “Having completed the review, we are now proposing to take the tough but necessary decision to close a number of these stores over the next few months.
“Regrettably, the proposal means that some of our Convenience store colleagues will now be at risk of redundancy, and a consultation will commence shortly.
“We understand this will be difficult news for them, and we will be providing these colleagues with all necessary support.
“This will include finding other opportunities for impacted colleagues elsewhere in the business wherever we can.”
Since 2016, when the last bank, HSBC, closed, the Post Office has been providing an over-the-counter banking service.
Because of this, campaigners feel it is imperative that the Post Office remains within the town.
The Wyre Forest Conservative Group has launched a petition to save the Post Office.
Mark Garnier MP has also contacted both Morrisons and the Post Office for further information.
Councillor Dan Morehead said: “Firstly, my thoughts go to all of the staff there, many of whom have worked in that shop for a long time during a very unsettling and worrying time for them.
“Secondly, we all know how much of a critical service the Post Office is to the residents of Bewdley, and we must, together, do all we can to save it.
“We can’t promise we will save the Post Office, but we can promise to do all we can.”
A Post Office spokesperson said: “We fully recognise the inconvenience this will cause our customers who rely on our banking and parcel services in particular.
“Should the decision be confirmed that the Morrisons store is closing, the store and Post Office would close in the next few months.
“We will therefore be advertising the vacancy for the branch on our runapostoffice.co.uk website shortly and welcome applications fom nearby retailers looking to host a Post Office inside their store.”
Visit wyreforestconservatives.com/campaigns/bewdley-post-office-petition? to sign the petition.
