Our Bath MP, Wera Hobhouse and the B&NES council are hoping citizens will help them in their campaign to prevent the city from being without a central post office. They have launched a petition, and they want us to sign it!
The Post Office has announced that its main Bath branch, hosted by TG Jones in its Stall Street location, will close on September 1st, prior to the whole shop closing on September 10th, leaving Bath without a post office in the city centre.
This very unwelcome news had been rumoured for a while, and so Bath Liberal Democrat MP, Wera Hobhouse, the Bath and North East Somerset Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Communication, Councillor Manda Rigby, and a local ward councillor, Councillor George Tomlin, met with The Post Office proactively to emphasise how important it is that this service does not leave the city permanently.
Wera Hobhouse asked what she could do in terms of raising any of their issues at Westminster, and Manda Rigby committed to helping with the provision of premises if an applicant suitable to The Post Office was found. Given the very low unoccupied rate and the great success of Bath’s High Street, it was made clear that, unlike other areas, there is not a large supply of cheap vacant units, but there is a great willingness to work together to find a solution.
We understand that one of the things which could help would be evidence of a great demand for a post office in the city centre, so we are today launching a petition to The Post Office. We encourage you to sign and share wherever you can.
https://www.bathneslibdems.org.uk/save-bath-post-office
Wera and the Liberal Democrats say any new post office must be an improvement, not just a replacement. Since the branch moved from Northgate Street to WH Smith in 2018, residents have raised concerns about long queues, understaffing and poor accessibility. With The Post Office now seeking a new location, this is an opportunity to secure a better, more accessible service for Bath.
We are also very aware of the need for smaller counter services in our outlying areas, and as part of the petition, are gathering information on where they are most requested.
Wera Hobhouse MP emphasised:
“Post Office counter services are essential in so many aspects of our daily lives and are even a lifeline for many. I will provide every support to B&NES council to ensure future provision in the city centre for our residents.”
Cllr Manda Rigby added:
“The Post Office fulfils a service to our residents like no other institution. The LibDems are fighting for both a main office and the branches in Bath to continue to serve our population.”
