Hopes rise for alternative site for two Post Office facilities

Hopes are rising in a bid to find alternative sites for the Bury St Edmunds Post Office and its sister site in Elmswell.

Peter Prinsley, the MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, has taken up the challenge and is due to meet officials from the Post Office.

The town centre facility, currently on the top floor of T G Jones store in the Cornhill, is set to close at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the Elmswell site has been closed since the beginning of the year, but Post Office bosses said they were exploring options for a new facility but without any success.

The nearest sites to access are now in Woolpit and on the Hardwick and Morton Hall estates in Bury St Edmunds.

Mr Prinsley said: “Post Offices are much more than places to buy stamps, particularly for older residents and those with disabilities or without a car.

“In Elmswell, Post Offices are the cornerstones of village life, especially for those who are vulnerable or isolated.”

He has now set up a meeting with the Post Office to discuss a replacement for Elmswell and to explore alternative sites in Bury St Edmunds and has suggested the ground floor of the former Post Office building which has stood empty since 2016.

He said: “Communities and businesses need vital services like Post Offices and banks to pay their bills and access cash.

“According to the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce 41 per cent of organisations across Suffolk have been moderately or significantly impacted by local banks closures and 42pc by Post Office closures.”

A consultation process has opened with the Post Office seeking a replacement provider in the town centre.

Residents can share their views through the consultation or by emailing comments@postoffice.co.uk.