Woodhall Spa Post Office closure could leave residents ‘out in the cold’

The closure of a Post Office sorting office in a Lincolnshire town could leave certain residents behind, it has been claimed. A notice has been put up in the window of Woodhall Spa’s Post Office, in Clarence Road, warning residents that they face a ‘use it or lose it’ situation due to the financial impact of the move.

The owner has reportedly been told that his services are no longer required and Royal Mail will be relocating the sorting office to Horncastle, six miles away, on January 23 2024. A spokesperson for the Royal Mail previously said: “We understand the concern such a relocation of service may cause for residents in the area.

“This relocation will allow us to reduce costs, provide modern and suitable facilities for our postmen and women, and assist in our drive to improve the quality of service for our customers.” Despite the shake-up, a spokesperson for the Post Office confirmed the service itself would remain open.

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But residents fear the partial closure could have a wider impact on the town. Anna Thompson, one of the two managers at the Post Office, said she believed it was nothing more than a cost-cutting exercise.

She said: “It’s not the case that fewer people have been coming in. We think it’s that Royal Mail is in a bit of financial difficulty at the moment and they’re making these cuts across the board.

“It’s not just us – it’s probably throughout the whole country. They’re trying to get rid of the rural delivery offices because they cost too much money.”

Mrs Thompson added that the move had left her unsure of whether she’d still have a job come January, which she described as an unpleasant feeling. She said that if the management can’t find a way to make it profitable, they may have to consider closing for good.

The Post Office spokesperson said in full: “Royal Mail has decided to relocate the sorting office currently based alongside Woodhall Spa Post Office from January 23. Woodhall Spa Post Office will remain open and we are working with the postmaster to limit the financial implications of this Royal Mail relocation.

“The Post Office area manager is supporting the postmaster to grow the business and in the near future will review whether there are opportunities for operational business efficiencies.” Residents in the town have been left feeling uncertain over the possible closure.

Former RAF aircraft technician Robert White, 53, said that many relied on it to handle their finances, as there is no bank in the town. Having just visited the Post Office to pick up foreign currency, he said: “Part of what I like about Woodhall Spa is that we can get everything here.

“With the banks closing, this is our bank. So in a way, we’d be losing two things at once.”

He added that there was a substantial elderly population who would be averse to online banking. He said: “There’s a lot of old people living here.

“Everyone says to just the app, but they don’t have it. It annoys me – they could be left out in the cold.”

The 53-year-old said it was part of a wider move towards a cashless society, which he disagreed with. He said: “I like to be able to handle things and see things I’m buying, rather than just online.

“The high street will die if you’re not careful. And for a lot of the older people here, coming out to do your shopping and banking is a social thing.”

Fellow resident Sandra Turner, in her 70s, said: “It’s rubbish. It’s quite a distance from Horncastle. Without a car, what do you do?

“Woodhall Spa has a lot of the older generation, so it won’t be convenient for them at all.” District councillor Craig Leyland previously encouraged residents to keep using the Post Office to show its commercial viability.

He said: “Don’t travel elsewhere to use the service, and don’t do stuff online – use your local post office, which keeps people employed locally and keeps the post office open.”