Concern over Wick post office’s relocation

The Post Office is proposing to move its Wick branch 200 yards north up Wick Street, to the Wick News premises, where it will become one of the first of 6,000 post offices to be converted to a new-style “main” branch.

The relocation is part of the biggest investment programme in the organisation’s history, which it claims puts a stop to controversial branch closures, resulting in the loss of two other Littlehampton branches, in Horsham Road and Norfolk Road, in recent years.

It has launched a consultation on the move, which it says will provide seven-day opening and a total of 15.5 extra hours of service each week.

The move was supported by Littlehampton Town Council’s policy and finance committee at its meeting last week, in response to the consultation.

However, the committee also agreed to express concern about the loss of the cash machine currently provided by the branch, which will not be available in the proposed new location, where an existing machine charges for cash withdrawals.

Speaking after the meeting, town councillor Tony Squires, whose Ham ward includes the post office, said: “I’m really glad the post office is moving. It’s been for sale for some time and they haven’t been able to find a buyer.

“It could have closed altogether, and we would have had no post office in Wick, which would have been terrible.

“Our only concern was about the free cash machine being lost, and if we can get that put in Wick News, that will be great for the people of Wick. “With Morrisons opening up soon in Wick, we need to do all we can to make sure people keep coming to Wick to use the local shops.”

The Post Office is inviting customers and other interested parties to give their comments on the move in the six-week public consultation, which ends on January 18.

For more details, pick up a copy of this week’s Littlehampton Gazette (Thursday, December 27).