Members of the community in Sedbergh and its surrounding areas have welcomed the relocation of the town’s Post Office inside the SPAR store on Station Road.
The Post Office has relocated from its longstanding position on Main Street after the retirement of the postmaster and its relocation into SPAR Sedbergh has ensured this vital asset is retained for the benefit of local people.
A ribbon and cake cutting ceremony marked the official launch of the counter at its new location at 11am on Tuesday 1st April.
Services offered at the Post Office counter include letter and parcel handling, personal banking, business banking, bill payments, and DVLA car tax renewal.
Coming soon will be Amazon return and collect delivery services, Euro and US dollar currency exchange, and travel cards.
For an interim period to allow for full staff training, the Post Office counter at SPAR Sedbergh is open from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday, from 9am until 12.30pm on a Saturday, and is closed on a Sunday.
Those hours will expand soon from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday and Sunday.
SPAR Sedbergh is owned and serviced by James Hall & Co. Ltd, SPAR’s primary retailer, wholesaler, and distributor for the North of England, based in Preston.
Joyce Cox was one of the first customers to use the counter. She said: “We use the SPAR virtually every day for essentials like bread, milk and fruit. The Post Office is an excellent addition in the SPAR for dropping off parcels as the parking is great.”
Anne and Malcolm Petit said: “Last of the big spenders, we bought some second-class stamps! It is wonderful to have the Post Office retained. It is a very good service for people in Sedbergh and I really hope it takes off. We do appreciate having the SPAR here.”
Walter Bull said: “I use the SPAR in Sedbergh quite often and it is good that the Post Office services can be accessed here now. I would have been really upset if the Post Office had gone for good. It would have been a major loss, and it would have meant a trip of 10 miles or more to Kendal.”
Fiona Drummond, Company Stores Director at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “We are thrilled to have relocated the Post Office in Sedbergh into our SPAR store. I was very pleased to meet several local people utilising the new counter on its opening morning and we had an extremely busy first day.
“Although the Post Office’s launch at its new location fell on April Fool’s Day, we were not fooling around in our decision to retain it. We acted quickly when we learned of the postmaster’s retirement as we understand what an invaluable asset the Post Office is for people in and around Sedbergh.
“We look forward to welcoming many more customers through our doors in the coming days and weeks and are excited to launch a fuller Post Office offer and longer hours as soon as possible.”
James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent SPAR retailers and company-owned SPAR stores across Northern England six days a week.
For more information about James Hall & Co. Ltd, please visit www.jameshall.co.uk.