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PUBLISHED: 16:14 04 February 2020 | UPDATED: 16:30 04 February 2020
The sorting office is going to be moving in the next few weeks
Archant
A village sorting office could close in the next couple of months, meaning residents will have to travel to Clevedon to pick up their parcels.
Two employees have revealed plans to relocate Yatton’s delivery office to Clevedon, however Royal Mail has denied the move.
The village’s post office, in High Street, would remain, but councillors are concerned it could put the service in jeapoardy.
One employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the plans were revealed at a meeting on January 21.
They said: “We’ve had an area manager tell us they’re going to shut the delivery office and move to Clevedon.
“They are going to be putting a formal proposal to let the council know about it. They want to close by the end of March.
“We’ll be finding out more about what is happening on Friday, but we’re trying to stop it from happening. We don’t want to move to Clevedon.”
Another employee said the closure would have a ‘detrimental effect on villagers’.
They said: “It will be a big loss for the people of Yatton. In a few days, Betfred is closing down. The village will turn into a ghost town full of charity shops and hairdressers.
“We have to let the public know what’s happening, and they might have to start going to Clevedon.”
North Somerset councillor Steve Bridger, who represents Yatton, is concerned about the effect it will have on villagers.
He said: “I learned of the threat to the delivery office between Christmas and New Year and am seeking clarification on what is proposed.
“At the moment, no one is talking about the closure of the post office in the centre of the village, but of the Royal Mail delivery office.
“But make no mistake, losing one would put the other in jeopardy, and that absolutely cannot happen in a community of 9,000 people.
“At any rate, the nearest delivery office in Clevedon is up at Sixways – off the beaten track for many who might need to pick up a missed delivery – even once Yatton and Clevedon are reconnected by public transport.”
Royal Mail has denied plans of the relocation.
A spokesman said: “We regularly review our operations to accommodate the modern postbag with more parcels and fewer letters.
“At the current time, we have no plans to relocate this delivery office.”
