Post Office on da move

[shetlandtrader]

It would appear that the consultation was like most, a foregone consultation, where someone already had the rubber stamp in hand hovering over the paperwork.  I feel sorry for the new staff as the job looks fairly complex, especially will all the extra selling that goes into it, and much comes with experience.  If sense prevails one of the current PO staff will be brought into Conochies on decent money so that the new staff can get trained up from them, otherwise the chances are that it will be a complete gang f++k for a few months. Pay peanuts, get monkeys.  Other parcel couriers are available though.  Looking on the positive side, at least Conochies will finally have 2nd class stamps in stock, and not 2nd Large as is usually the only option.  Although if you can't manage to keep stamps in stock, I am at a loss to how you are going to make a go of a Post Office.

 

Bolts PO staff may be OK, but the queueing system is as bad as similarly named Boots.  You only have to have some halfwit stood next to their husband* and the passageway is blocked.  It will be interesting to see the floor plan of Conochies with the new PO in place to see how they manage the queueing.  I assume that the Thorntons area is being thinned out as a way of making space to shunt a reduced stationery offering into.  Not a bad idea as the footfall in the stationery part of the shop seems minimal; so quiet that Goudies could have a desk in there.

 

I am curious to know what Da Street PO will become.  Perhaps another eatery or charity shop.  I am hoping that there will finally be some attempt at expanding the accommodation in that area.  Hjaltland could throw up some of their tiny flats there.  The street really does need to be less commercial, and more residential taking up the space of the dying businesses as they become available.

 

*Or wife.

completely agree as shops empty they should be allowed to convert to residential some of the ones at the south end near the queens have been granted permission of late such as the spiders web.

[Windwalker]

As far as I know, is it not only the counter area which will be available, perhaps that floor. I’m assuming the sorting areas will still be operating as normal, well at least until they relocate that as well.

 

im also assuming I’ll still be able to pick up parcels from the main building as I can’t see the post delivery staff putting undelivered items to Chonocies as they won’t have the room.

[Frances144]

I feel really sorry for the PO staff.  They have been treated very shabbily imho.

[BigMouth]

The price of race to the bottom (wages for the minions) capitalism.

[Ghostrider]

I was told a bit back (by an OAP who was going to be highly inconvenienced by it) that sometime now shortly (if it hasn't already happened) the DWP were no longer going to be using the Post Office as one of the 'Banks' folk could have their old age pension/benefit(s) paid in to.

 

I assume this is a nationwide thing, so if they're losing that 'contract' its no surprise they're offloading assets and downsizing/streamlining wherever they can.

[Rasmie]

Pensions will all be paid by bank transfer shortly. Using cash is probably going to be limited. You will only need a post office to post something shortly.

[George.]

What benefits are there in getting a pension, benefits, etc paid to a person via the post office? Is it not preferred purely out of habit?

[Wheelsup]

I guess some people can't or won't switch to the use of bank cards,  never mind phone apps.  Especially if they are getting a bit infirm or forgetful.

[shetlander]

No doot the number of folk using them and the number of things they use them for is on the slide. What’s about to happen in Lerwick has been going on elsewhere for years and as the older, less tech-savvy generation moves on, that’s only going to continue.

[Ghostrider]

What benefits are there in getting a pension, benefits, etc paid to a person via the post office? Is it not preferred purely out of habit?

There are still folk who have never had a bank account, don't want/need a bank account for any other reason, only shop locally where the Post Office and shop occupy the same building, have no interest in going in to te town unless they really absolutely have to, don't drive, and live quite some distance from a bus route that only offers a sparse service.

 

As they get older/less mobile it just exacerbates the issue. Add to that that not everybody can open a bank account even if they wanted to as they don't have and never have had the minimum 'supporting documentation' to qualify to apply for one, as they have never needed it previously, and have no need of it for anything else.

 

For them this move means that the only way they're going to be able to live as they've always lived is have their pension paid in to a relatives/friends bank account, and get that relative/friend to pass the money on to them in cash as/when they need it. Hassle and inconvenience neaither the person themselves nor the relative/friend should have to put up with, and a wide open scenario for potential financial abuse unless the person involved chooses a very honest and trustworthy relative/friend, if they have one.