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Town says farewell to last remaining Post Office

James DiamondWest of England
News imageGoogle A Google street view image shows the front of the Co-Op on The Avenue. A two-storey red brick building, a green sign reading "The co-operative" sits above the entrance. Beneath it and to the right is a Post Office sign. A lane goes down the right hand side of the shop as we look at it.Google
The Co-Op on The Avenue will shut this weekend

A town's last remaining Post Office is set to close later after the operator resigned, meaning the next closest branch for residents will be more than two miles away.

Minehead's only branch currently exists inside a Co-Op on The Avenue, but will shut for the final time at 13:00 BST, with the Co-op set to close at the weekend.

The business had hoped to create a replacement store on Summerland Avenue but the planning application was rejected. It means the closest Post Office branch will now be in the nearby town of Dunster.

A spokesperson for the Post Office said they are "currently finalising plans for a temporary solution" with a permanent replacement branch in Minehead also in the works.

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The Co-Op first announced its intention to close the store on The Avenue, in April, after plans to redevelop the site, which also included creating retirement apartments, were rejected by Somerset Council.

A council statement said the plans "were not in-keeping with the character of the area".

Since that decision was taken, the Post Office has been working to find a solution and said plans for a temporary alternative are being finalised.

"We understand that post office services are very important to our customers in Minehead, and while we finalise the plans for the new permanent branch we are also making plans to open a temporary post office," a spokesperson said.

"The temporary post office will operate full time, and we are working as quickly as possible to get the branch up and running.

"The opening date for the temporary branch hasn't yet been confirmed but we will share further details about this as well as the location over the coming weeks."

The MP for Tiverton and Minehead, Rachel Gilmour, said ensuring residents have access to local services is a "key focus".

"I am delighted that the Post Office have identified an operator who can pick up the service in Minehead, and that they are in the final stages of the process of confirming that operator," she said.

"I will keep working with Post Office UK to ensure that this transfer is as smooth as possible for my constituents in Minehead, and that they are supported through any transition period."

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