Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, took up the cudgels on behalf of local people concerned that the Post Office facility at Chain Lane Co-op would choose when Lidl took the store over. Mr Jones wrote to Lid’s UK Managing Director, Mr Ronny Gottschlich appealing for the Post Office Local to be retained in the store.
In a response from the company’s property director, it has been confirmed that the Post Office facility will be kept open for another six months at Chain Lane in line with the Co-ops contract with the Post Office but closed after that when Lidl come to re-organise the store.
However, Lidl is also looking to re-organise their existing store on York Road into smaller retail units and is hopeful that a new Post Office facility may be accommodated on that site.
Andrew commented:
Whilst it is clearly good news that the Chain Lane Post Office Local is to remain open for the next six months it is disappointing not to have a guarantee of a continuing second post office facility in Knaresborough.
The ideal solution is that the Post Office Local remains permanently at the Chain Lane location. People know the facility is there, they have plenty of parking and they can do their shopping or pick up medication from the pharmacy.
I have therefore written to Lidl once again to impress upon them that this is the desirable outcome. Failing this, I would like a guarantee that a replacement Post Office facility will be a priority for the reconfigured retail unit at Lidl’s current store.
I have therefore written again to the Post Office asking them to make negotiations with Lidl a high priority.
So in other words Andrew Jones has achieved precisely nothing. He’s always been quick to take credit for the provision of PO services in Harrogate (which is bunkum as anyone who understands the ongoing post office restructure would be be able to tell you.)
How specifically does he propose to generate traction with a multinational retailer then doesn’t operate any other post offices on its UK estate? Who would operate the service (doubtful it’d be Lidl themselves)?
All hot air and no delivery, Andrew.
Well said. The reason the Post Office at Chain Lane is to remain open for 6 months is that the Post Office contract has another 6 months to run. After that the Co-op store will be demolished. It has nothing to do with anything Jones has said or written. You have to really wonder about the character of such a disingenuous MP who wants to claim credit for something that is not of his doing.