Fears voiced over future of post offices

Sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses are warning of a precarious future – and possible closures – after highlighting a lack of financial support.

Brian Smith, who runs the Freefield sub-post office in Lerwick, has not had a pay rise in almost two decades and claims he is actually being paid less than when he started out.

“About 15 years ago, the Post Office and Royal Mail separated and Post Office became a private company, but the government bought up all the shares,” he explained.

“It’s still owned by the government, but it’s deemed as a private company and at that point they were told they had to become profitable.

“And the way they’ve become profitable is by reducing the amount they pay postmasters.

“I’ve been getting paid less and less. I’m getting paid less today than I was 17 years ago when we first took on the post office. I haven’t had a pay rise in 17 years,” he added.

Mr Smith says he has to reach into his own pocket to keep the post office afloat and warned he will not be able to keep the business going if the situation fails to change.

“Post Office Limited view postmasters like myself as a franchise. They keep almost 60 per cent of the income that the post office makes.

“I have to employ all my staff and they don’t even pay me enough to cover the wages of my staff, so I’m out of pocket between £6,000 to £10,000 per year.

“I’m not able to afford to keep paying £10,000 per year out my own pocket to run a service so they can give the chief executive at the top of the company nearly half a million pounds and a bonus.”