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DOBCROSS Village Store and Post Office is calling for community support and loyalty after the shock loss of their post box.
The shop, on Woods Lane, announced on Facebook that Royal Mail arrived on Monday, July 28 to seal off the post box so it can be converted into a digital parcel post box.
The process, which will take around three weeks, will mean customers can post parcels without going into the shop – taking away vital income from the store, which is run as a co-operative.
But manager Tim Newbold is encouraging customers to continue coming inside to receive personal help and service as they post letters and parcels at the post office counter, as well as retain the income for the community shop.
He told the Independent: “When people use the digital post box, we will lose the income as it will bypass the post office. It’s only small fees we take but it adds up and it is vital money for the shop.
“Customers get personal service and advice about postage when they come inside and talk to us but you get none of that from a box.
“We have a fantastic team and we pride ourselves on customer service so we hope people keep coming inside with their letters and parcels.
“The post box doesn’t look like it will get very much in as it is only small but perhaps it will be good for posting things out of hours.”
Tim added that the change came out of the blue and they had no notice from Royal Mail that it was going to happen.
He explained: “They just turned up on Monday and took the front door off the post box, so they can remake it, and then they wrapped it up.
“It’s Royal Mail not the Post Office. They trialled it out down south last year with the aim of rolling it out across the country but then we had heard nothing about it. I rang the Post Office about it and they were in shock as well.
“It’s been done in Delph and Diggle as well at the same time but not in Uppermill I believe.”
He continued: “The lovely post box toppers will have to go too as there will be a solar panel on top to power it, which is a shame. We will have to see if we can find somewhere else to put them.”
In their post on Facebook, Dobcross Village Store said: “Royal Mail arrived and sealed our village post box. It’s being converted into a digital parcel post box, which will take around three weeks to complete.
“While this new box will allow customers to post parcels directly, the fees from those transactions will go to Royal Mail, not to our community-owned shop and post office.
“We’re kindly asking all our customers to continue bringing parcels and letters into the post office counter as you do now. This way, your support directly helps keep our shop and services running.
“We’ve raised our concerns with the Post Office, but as the box is Royal Mail’s property, they are unable to intervene. This is yet another example of a vital local service being quietly taken away from communities like ours.
“Sadly, this change also means we won’t be able to decorate the post box as we have in the past. Our last post box topper was lovingly knitted by a wonderful volunteer who has since passed away. It’s a small but heartfelt loss.
“Letters can still be posted inside the post office. Please continue to bring parcels in to us so we can serve you in person and retain the much-needed commission.
“Thank you for standing by us. Your everyday choices help keep this community strong.”
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Our new postboxes of the future offer another convenient way for customers in Dobcross and elsewhere to access Royal Mail’s services.
“They accept larger parcels than standard postboxes and offer digital proof of posting via the Royal Mail app.”
