ST ANDREWS POST OFFICE - 'RECONSIDER POSITION,' SAY SMITH AND CAMPBELL

5.57.15pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 6th Aug 2007

Following the public meeting in St Andrews on Thursday Iain Smith MSP and Sir Menzies Campbell MP described the Post Office's consultation over the relocation of the St Andrews main post-office to W.H. Smith as 'inadequate and premature.' In a joint submission to the National Consultation Team they said, 'The leaflet clearly stated that the consultation was about the proposed opening hours, access arrangements and the facilities that are planned for the new branch. However, insufficient details other than on the proposed opening hours were provided in advance for people to study, making it impossible for them to make meaningful responses to the consultation.'

Mr Smith and Sir Menzies summarised the main concerns of the townspeople , 'Firstly, that the proposed counter space in W.H. Smith is inadequate for the demand pattern that currently pertains in St Andrews, especially at peak usage times. For instance it has been noted that students tend to come in to the post office at particular times between lectures, but what does not seem to have been taken account of is the fact that those times are also when other students will be dropping in to W.H. Smith for stationery, newspapers etc. We fear that the space will not be sufficient to accommodate this double student surge between ten to and ten past each hour.

Secondly there is the extremely important question of disabled access. Although this is a matter covered by the consultation, people cannot really comment upon it until the proposal is lodged and approved by Fife Council as planning authority, along with any modifications which they may insist upon. And thirdly, people are afraid that not enough staff with sufficient experience will be employed in W.H. Smith to provide the same standard of service which they have come to expect at South Street. It's all very well for Post Office Ltd to point out that most transactions are simple and straightforward but the customers must have confidence that whoever is staffing the new counters can cope easily and efficiently with the more complex transactions.'

Mr Smith and Sir Menzies regretted that no representative from W.H. Smith had been able to attend the meeting and remarked, 'For a supposed enthusiastic partner in this enterprise W.H. Smith have displayed a marked reluctance to engage with the public which does not inspire confidence.' They concluded, 'Quite frankly there is insufficient information to make a judgement as to whether the move to W.H. Smith will result in the same standards of service being maintained. Until that information is made available, Post Office Ltd should reconsider their position.'