RESIDENTS have condemned a decision to close a post office run from a pharmacy on a Barry estate.

Residents reacted angrily after discovering the Highlight Park post office, operated by LloydsPharmacy, would cease service on Saturday, November 1 this year.

The race is now on to find an alternative location for the service with local MP Alun Cairns lobbying Tesco to set up a temporary post office in store.

LloydsPharmacy said it intended to concentrate on its core area of expertise – health and well-being.

Nearby residents and shoppers expressed dismay citing the inconvenience of having to travel to central Barry.

The Post Office said it wanted to fill the void and urged other local businesses to express interest.

Highlight Park resident, Jill John, said: “It’s always busy and it’s handy for the older people to get to, it is a place for them to meet others. It’s just another silly decision that will affect every one up on the estate and in close proximity.”

One post-office user said he would boycott the pharmacy if the post office closed.

The resident said: “It’s one of the few places I can tax my car. I use it for my prescriptions as well."

Highlight Park resident Noelle Ferguson, 61, said it was “ridiculous”.

She said: “They have changed our bus service. It’s hard to get to town.”

45-year-old Mark Gerkhardt, of Borough Avenue, added: “It’s wrong. Every time I have gone in there, it’s busy. If it closes down where will people go? The school – Barry Comprehensive – use the post office a lot with their mail.”

A LloydsPharmacy spokeswoman said the company would be “focusing on its core areas of expertise, helping people within the community manage their health and well-being” adding that it had worked with the Post Office to seek alternative local retail providers and been in discussions with the Post Office for some time with regard to business matters in relation to the Post Office Transformation Programme.

She said following these discussions, LloydsPharmacy took a decision to terminate the service provided from this location.

She added: “We are aware that a Post office is an integral part of any community as is a pharmacy.

“LloydsPharmacy is committed to the community of Barry and will be meeting with the local MP Alun Cairn to discuss the situation.”

Vale MP Alun Cairns said the meeting would be on Wednesday.

Mr Cairns said: “I am shocked at this news that Highlight Park will lose such a vital service at such short notice. We simply cannot have local communities without such an important service during the important run up to Christmas. Many people depend on the post office especially pensioners and some of the most vulnerable in society.

“I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure this vital service remains open.

“This is an appalling decision. I will be meeting with Tesco and volunteers operating the community centre to determine whether a temporary post office can be set up to ensure local residents do not lose such a vital service.”

What do you think?

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