Following the Post Office's recent announcement that the Marsh Mills, Plympton Post Office is scheduled to close, I contacted Post Office Ltd to find out if this decision could be halted.
The Post Office have confirmed that the Postmaster of the affected branch has resigned and the branch is still expected to close on 25 September.
The Post Office said:
"We apologise to our customers who may need to travel further to access services after the branch closes. The nearest alternative Post Office is at the Coop store in Plympton, which is just under a mile from Marsh Mills.
There is also capacity at the Plympton branch to serve additional customers from Marsh Mills, should they choose to visit.
When we are made aware of an unplanned branch closure, Post Office undertakes a review that examines the network at a detailed, local level, analysing customer demand and accessibility of Post Office products and services. As part of the review, we also consider and ensure that our limited funding and resources supporting the branch network, are allocated to deliver maximum benefit for all customers across the UK.
Following the review, we regret to advise that we are not looking to replace the Marsh Mills branch after it closes this month. In the local area nearby to Marsh Mills Post Office, there aren’t any retailers to apply to operate a Post Office. The other retailers in the area are nearer to Plympton Post Office, less than 0.5 miles, but opening a branch here would not be sustainable and could potentially impact on the viability of the existing branch.
I appreciate that this is disappointing news for the local community, and we apologise again for any inconvenience caused by the closure. We will keep the local area under review, and if there are opportunities for new services in the future, we will share an update with you and the local community."
I know that this is disappointing news for constituents, and I am sorry that it has not been possible to bring about a different outcome.
