Stornoway Post Office feared to be at risk of closure under major cost-
13 November 2024
Stornoway’s main post office faces an uncertain future under a major Post Office
shake-up.
The Francis Street office has been named as one of 115 loss-making branches wholly
owned by the Post Office which could be closed, or sold to another operator or franchise
under the sweeping changes.
Stornoway is among nine directly operated Crown Post Offices in Scotland on the list.
Across the UK, the 115 directly-owned post offices within its 11,500 network could
be transferred to retail partners or postmasters, or potentially closed.
Western Isles MP, Torcuil Crichton, said: “This will be resisted both locally and nationally. It is essential that the islands retain the full range of services which a Crown Office provides in an accessible location. Every option other than closure must be looked at.”
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) condemned the “outrageous and immoral closure announcements from the Post Office.”
CWU general secretary Dave Ward said: "For the company to announce the closure of hundreds of Post Offices hot on the heels of the Horizon scandal is as tone deaf as it is immoral.
"CWU members are victims of the Horizon scandal - and for them to now fear for their
jobs ahead of Christmas is yet another cruel attack."
The closure threat was initially omitted from a major speech by Post Office chairman, Nigel Railton, when he set out plans to boost deliver a ‘new deal for postmasters.’
Jobs at its head office are also under threat.
Nine branches in Scotland are at risk of closing: Stornoway, Inverness, Kirkwall, Edinburgh City, Glasgow, Haddington, Saltcoats, Springburn Way, and Wester Hailes.
In his speech delivered to postmasters and PO staff, Railton outlined the commercial, operational, cultural, and reputational challenges that must be addressed to deliver change for postmasters and learn the lessons from the Horizon IT public Inquiry.
He said: “The Post Office has a 360-year history of public service and today we want
to secure that service for the future by learning from past mistakes and moving forward
for the benefit of all postmasters. We can, and will, restore pride in working for
a business with a legacy of service, rather than one of scandal.
“The value postmasters deliver in their communities must be reflected in their pockets, and this Transformation Plan provides a route to adding more than £250 million annually to total postmaster remuneration by 2030, subject to government funding.
“It begins a new phase of partnership during which we will strengthen the postmaster
voice in the day-to-day running and operations of the business, so they are represented
from the frontline to the boardroom.”
