Post Office pleas fail to halt closure

IRISH Street post office stamped its last parcel on Friday following a period of consultation during which public concern was heard but overruled by the Post Office in favour of rationalising its services in the Waterside.

In a letter to Derry City Council last month Sheila McCann, Post Office, Network Development Manager, confirmed the Lisnagelvin Post Office in Irish Street would shut up shop for good at the close of business on Friday, September 10.

The development followed a period of consultation during which Ms McCann heard the concerns of local residents and held face-to-face meetings with local elected representatives including Aldermen William Hay and Joe Miller.

But despite acknowledging a "small number of comments and a petition from customers and local representatives during the consultation period" the Post Office vowed to forge ahead with the closure plans.

Ms McCann did allow, however, that: "As part of the consultation process it was agreed an additional counter position would be installed at Ebrington Post Office" and that this would be operational by September 11.

Earlier correspondence from the Post Office to the local authority noted the expressed concerns of customers at the Irish Street branch over the inconvenience of having to walk almost half-a-mile to the Ebrington facility.

The Post Office chief wrote to Derry City Council on August 2: "The main feedback centred on the inconvenience the closure of Lisnagelvin Post Office would cause particularly to elderly or disabled customers as Ebrington Post Office was considered to be too far to walk.

"Some feedback also commented that Lisnagelvin Post Office supported the other shops in that area. This feedback enabled me to improve my understanding of customers' concerns and to ensure that all such information was taken into account before finalising our plans for the area."

Having "carefully considered" this feedback and attending subsequent meetings with local councillors Ms McCann - decided however - to proceed with the planned closure of the Irish Street Post Office.

In her letter of August 2 she wrote: "The new Ebrington Post Office is run from modern spacious new premises in the Eurospar Convenience store in Rossdowney Park, with good level access with automatic doors.

"Our subpostmaster at Ebrington will now proceed with his plans to staff all four counter positions to ensure the branch can accommodate additional customers.

"In addition the store offers a wide range of convenience goods. I am therefore confident that Ebrington Post Office and our Post Office services in the City centre and at Spencer Road and Trench Road will meet the needs of our customers in this part of Londonderry."

She added: "I acknowledge that Ebrington Post Office is located 0.4 miles from Lisnagelvin Post Office and that this may be too far for some customers to walk.

"However, Rossdowney Park is served by a regular bus service to and from the surrounding areas and for customers who will drive there is a large car park outside Ebrington Post Office with designated disabled bays."

The correspondence is due for consideration by a Derry City Council Policy and Resources Committee meeting tomorrow.

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