Ely’s 18,000 residents deserve better from the Post Office

Ely still wants a Post Office but the Post Office does not appear to want Ely.

Since November the post office’s portable building has occupied a dozen spaces in the Paradise Centre car park and it has secured (retrospective) permission to stay there until March.

The loss of parking has not been at all convenient but now it wants to remain there until May.

The Post Office has been warned that there will be a “sharp increase” in rent if it wishes to extend its stay any further.

During the summer an NHS mammography caravan comes to Ely for cancer screening and this is usually placed in the Paradise car park, in the space now occupied by the temporary post office.

This treatment is an insult to the city and our 18,000 citizens deserve better.

When Gary Herbert, senior external stakeholder manager east for the Post Office, spoke to City of Ely Council he referred to the extra footfall that would come to a business prepared to include post office facilities within its premises, while bemoaning government imposed restrictions on the post office.

From his point of view a crown post office was not an option.

Surely the delay in finding a suitable partner, and the planned expansion of Ely, should suggest this is the only realistic and lasting answer.

Post Office publicity describes itself as “a thriving business with a strong public purpose” – show us what that means.

CLLR JEREMY FRIEND-SMITH

District councillor, Ely South.

Via e-mail