THE closure of the Teemore Road Post Office is “extremely concerning and, frankly, unacceptable”, residents have claimed, after Royal Mail confirmed the closure of its branch.

Local residents have been left outraged that the Post Office branch has ceased, following the closure of its adjacent shop, with some elderly residents left with no access to their money.

Declan McArdle, a local councillor for the area, has written to Royal Mail’s Area Change Manager, Janese Sung, outlining the major impact that the branch closure is going to have to many people.

“This closure has caused considerable disruption, particularly to our elderly population, those with mobility issues, and residents without access to private transport,” Mr McArdle said in his letter.

“The Post Office is not just a place for postal transactions. It is a vital community hub, offering services that many rely on for everyday life. Deep frustration has been felt by the community.”

While the Post Office said that it will undertake a review of the service to assess the need for its branch on the Teemore Road and in the community, there’s no plans to establish a new facility.

Mr McArdle has called on the Post Office to “reconsider its position” on the branch closure.

“The apparent decision not to replace the branch, or to consider alternatives such as a temporary outreach service or mobile unit, is extremely concerning and, frankly, unacceptable,” he said.

“The closure appears to have been treated as a fait accompli, without meaningful consultation or adequate consideration of local needs.

“I urge Post Office Ltd to reconsider its position and engage properly with the community and local stakeholders. A thorough impact assessment must be shared,” added the local councillor.

The Post Office Area Change Manager recognised there’ll be inconvenience caused.

“The Post Office undertake a comprehensive review of the network to ensure that it continues to meet evolving customer needs in a very challenging economic climate,” explained Mr Sung.

“This review examined the network at a very detailed, local level, analysing customer demand and accessibility of Post Office services. We are not looking to replace Teemore Road Post Office.”

Meanwhile, the Post Office has confirmed that it’s set to carry out an investigation into the failing standards at Newtownbutler Post Office which has been raised in the media in recent weeks.

Outlining that the post office in Derrylin and Kinawley can be used by Teemore residents, the Area Change Manager for the Post Office added that they “apologise for the inconvenience” caused.

“We apologise for the inconvenience the closure may cause,” Mr Sung said.

“We hope that our customers will continue to use Post Office services and details of alternative Post Office branches in the area. Branch information can be found on our website.”

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