NEWSAGENTS have stepped in to keep Shoebury Post Office going after the post mistress’s retirement.

Sharon Walters, who has been at the George Street office for 26 years – ten as post mistress – is set to retire after expiry of the lease.

It was feared the office could be lost, but Anjana and Harish Panchal, owners of Station News, in High Street, for 23 years, will become the new post masters.

To accommodate the post office, an extension will be built behind their convenience store, opposite Shoebury railway station.

Anjana, 57, said: “We are very excited about it. We didn’t want to lose the post office, so when Sharon told us her lease was ended, we wanted to help, so we said we would apply.

“We’ve been through most bits of the procedure and it’s now down to the result of the consultation.

“We have builders lined up, so once we get the go-ahead, work will start straight away.”

The extension will take up current office and storage space to create a modern, main-style branch with extended opening hours.

It will have three serving positions, a mixture of two modern screened positions and a Post Office serving point, where the Post Office terminal would sit alongside the retail till.

Entrance to the general store will still be at the front, with the post office in the rear.

Ms Walters said: “We will stay open until the new premises are ready and then transfer straight over. There will be no reason to close. It will be a one-stop shop that will benefit the community.”

The new branch will open seven days a week for 98 hours and 30 minutes – some 52 hours more than the current office.

The branch will open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5.30pm, with selected Post Office products and services available from the retail counter during shop opening hours, Monday to Saturday, 5.45am to 8.30pm, and Sunday, 7am to 5pm.

Will Russell, the Post Office’s regional manager, said: “We understand how important having a post office is to residents in Shoebury and we are confident this new, modern service will meet the needs of the community and secure services for the future.”

The Post Office is now inviting customers and interested parties to give their comments on the move in a six-week public consultation, which closes on May 27.

Comments can be sent by Freepost YOUR COMMENTS to Post Office Ltd, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the customer helpline on 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55.

 

Councillor’s vow to try and protect building

A DELIVERY office next to the George Street post office closed in 2013, along with those in Leigh and Rochford – despite a 1,000-name petition opposing the closures.

The post office and delivery office sites in Shoebury could now be ripe for development.

But a councillor says she will look into having the old post office listed.

Anne Chalk, independent councillor for Shoebury, a member of Southend Council’s conservation working party, campaigned to keep the historic facade of nearby Hinguar School preserved when the site was proposed for redevelopment.

She said: “I welcome news we are keeping a post office, as it is really needed. I’m sorry Sharon is going, as she has always been extremely helpful.

“Harish and Anjana are very reliable. I think they will be excellent. It will be great for those living in the area and for those coming off the trains. I’m very much against overdevelopment.

I know we need housing, but I wouldn’t like to see the building turned into one bedroom apartments. I would like to see the original building retained and adapted, keeping the design. It’s not listed, but I will approach the conservation working party about it.”