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Use it or lost it - post office warning
MALDON Post Office could be under threat for the second time in as many months.
"Use it or lose it" is the simple for choice for customers who have stopped using the service.
Earlier this year there was a public outcry when Budgens supermarket closed, taking the district's only main post office with it.
A huge campaign followed, resulting in a temporary post office being opened in the High Street.
But just a month later the businessman who took on the project has warned that if people do not start using the facility it may never move into a permanent home.
Jake Singh opened the temporary Maldon Post Office on the site of a former gift shop on April 10.
The move was an emergency measure but, at the time, Post Office Ltd vowed to continue searching for a permanent home in the town centre.
Mr Singh said: "A lot of business was lost because of the break in service from the closure of the post office in Budgens until the opening of the temporary unit.
"People started using other post offices in the meantime - we were hoping they would return to the High Street when we reopened but many of them haven't."
Mr Singh said he is still fighting to turn the site's fortunes around, saying: "I have spoken to Maldon District Council officers to find out what they can do to help.
"The main issue is getting more custom - in particular we need business people to start using the post office to make their deposits again - they make up a large percentage of our business."
He added: "I am still actively looking for an alternative location for the post office but it would need to be much bigger in order to offer the full range of services.
"However, with the amount of customers we are currently getting it would simply not be a viable business.
"With things as they are the only way it would survive would be if another business opens a post office counter within the store.
"The simple fact is that we need to be getting the level of business it was before it closed in order for anybody to want to take it on permanently."
6:04am Wednesday 7th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Jack, Maldon on 11:13am Wed 7 May 08
So be it. According to current beliefs the PO should pay its way. Or do we perhaps believe nationalised industries (like the PO at the moment but progressively less so)should exist even when a bit uneconomic as they serve a social purpose. And so we are prepared to pay more taxes then...
So be it. According to current beliefs the PO should pay its way. Or do we perhaps believe nationalised industries (like the PO at the moment but progressively less so)should exist even when a bit uneconomic as they serve a social purpose. And so we are prepared to pay more taxes then...
Posted by: anon, maldon on 11:55am Wed 7 May 08
with modern technology, why do we need post offices? and i am not prepare to paid more taxes, to support a dying business that is being stripped of its services
with modern technology, why do we need post offices? and i am not prepare to paid more taxes, to support a dying business that is being stripped of its services
Posted by: Tired, Of Maldon on 1:10pm Wed 7 May 08
[quote][bold]anon[/bold] wrote:
with modern technology, why do we need post offices? and i am not prepare to paid more taxes, to support a dying business that is being stripped of its services[/quote] I love modern technology, I especially love eBay, it allows me to sell my old stuff that I no longer need(which being a good Daily Mail reader I know saves the planets precious resources) and then I take it to the post office and erm, oh... erm... I erm, no, the post office is erm, closed so this modern technology has erm, well....
Not to mention Amazon, I like Amazon, and if something needas to be returned you can erm.. oh hang on, the Post Office again.
Never mind, I'm sure teleportation devices with a USB adaptor are just around the corner....
anon wrote:
with modern technology, why do we need post offices? and i am not prepare to paid more taxes, to support a dying business that is being stripped of its services
I love modern technology, I especially love eBay, it allows me to sell my old stuff that I no longer need(which being a good Daily Mail reader I know saves the planets precious resources) and then I take it to the post office and erm, oh... erm... I erm, no, the post office is erm, closed so this modern technology has erm, well....
Not to mention Amazon, I like Amazon, and if something needas to be returned you can erm.. oh hang on, the Post Office again.
Never mind, I'm sure teleportation devices with a USB adaptor are just around the corner....
Posted by: lil, maldon on 2:23pm Wed 7 May 08
Many of the businesses in Maldon area had to find an alternative for collection of their franked mail. They have probably had to take out a paid contract for a year with Royal Mail to have their franked mail collected every day. Once this has been done you cannot cancel without losing your money.
Many of the businesses in Maldon area had to find an alternative for collection of their franked mail. They have probably had to take out a paid contract for a year with Royal Mail to have their franked mail collected every day. Once this has been done you cannot cancel without losing your money.
Posted by: Lee, Maldon on 11:37am Thu 8 May 08
Every time ive been in the post office there has been people in front of me so that tells me the place is being used
Every time ive been in the post office there has been people in front of me so that tells me the place is being used
Posted by: El Presendente, Stokes Hall / Althorne on 4:19pm Fri 9 May 08
[quote][bold]Tired[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]anon[/bold] wrote: with modern technology, why do we need post offices? and i am not prepare to paid more taxes, to support a dying business that is being stripped of its services[/quote] I love modern technology, I especially love eBay, it allows me to sell my old stuff that I no longer need(which being a good Daily Mail reader I know saves the planets precious resources) and then I take it to the post office and erm, oh... erm... I erm, no, the post office is erm, closed so this modern technology has erm, well.... Not to mention Amazon, I like Amazon, and if something needas to be returned you can erm.. oh hang on, the Post Office again. Never mind, I\\\'m sure teleportation devices with a USB adaptor are just around the corner....[/quote] Tired, maybe try using many of the on-line courier services(all the leading companys). Their all cheaper than the Royal Mail, doorstep collection OR pick-up, 48hr delivery + a tracking system without paying for a premium service. I'm a great fan of the local post office (wonderfull places to catch-up on all the local gossip) but there are times when I don't want to stand in a queue and wait for ages, that time could be better spent chilling-out wotching the world go by....
Tired wrote:
anon wrote: with modern technology, why do we need post offices? and i am not prepare to paid more taxes, to support a dying business that is being stripped of its services
I love modern technology, I especially love eBay, it allows me to sell my old stuff that I no longer need(which being a good Daily Mail reader I know saves the planets precious resources) and then I take it to the post office and erm, oh... erm... I erm, no, the post office is erm, closed so this modern technology has erm, well.... Not to mention Amazon, I like Amazon, and if something needas to be returned you can erm.. oh hang on, the Post Office again. Never mind, I'm sure teleportation devices with a USB adaptor are just around the corner....
Tired, maybe try using many of the on-line courier services(all the leading companys). Their all cheaper than the Royal Mail, doorstep collection OR pick-up, 48hr delivery + a tracking system without paying for a premium service. I'm a great fan of the local post office (wonderfull places to catch-up on all the local gossip) but there are times when I don't want to stand in a queue and wait for ages, that time could be better spent chilling-out wotching the world go by....
Posted by: Tired, Of Maldon on 6:40pm Fri 9 May 08
Sorry El P, don't have the luxury of being at home all day, have to go out to work I'm afraid, but I can walk in to town at lunch time and drop my parcel off. And as for cheaper I think you may be a bit out of date there, I'm usually pleasantly surprised since the new packet prices came in at RM.
Also I find that the £6 odd flat rate for the online parcel people to be a bit steep when posting a hardback , dictionaries, clothes or shoes.
Must be a real drag "wotching" all those parcel vans go by all day too!!
Sorry El P, don't have the luxury of being at home all day, have to go out to work I'm afraid, but I can walk in to town at lunch time and drop my parcel off. And as for cheaper I think you may be a bit out of date there, I'm usually pleasantly surprised since the new packet prices came in at RM.
Also I find that the £6 odd flat rate for the online parcel people to be a bit steep when posting a hardback , dictionaries, clothes or shoes.
Must be a real drag "wotching" all those parcel vans go by all day too!!
Posted by: Jack, Maldon on 9:57pm Wed 14 May 08
Still worth noting that the year before last the PO moved 83 million items; last year 80 million. Big drop and it will continue- email etc. And for [bold]every[/bold] item 1st and 2nd used by personal mail the PO make a loss. So. Maldon votes Conservative which is 'cut taxes' land but we also want a PO which --soon-- will not pay its way. So, do we recognise we have to pay more taxes to keep an uneconomic PO in the future or do we get ready to accept the reality when our PO can not pay its way. An issue to think about...
Still worth noting that the year before last the PO moved 83 million items; last year 80 million. Big drop and it will continue- email etc. And for
every item 1st and 2nd used by personal mail the PO make a loss. So. Maldon votes Conservative which is 'cut taxes' land but we also want a PO which --soon-- will not pay its way. So, do we recognise we have to pay more taxes to keep an uneconomic PO in the future or do we get ready to accept the reality when our PO can not pay its way. An issue to think about...
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