Residents appeal for Ferndown post office to reopen

The town's post office has now been closed for more than four weeks.

Councillors and Ferndown residents say their frustrations have been heightened by limited communication from the Post Office.

Earlier this week, the Post Office confirmed it is actively looking to resolve the situation at the Ferndown branch.

Residents say a temporary postmaster should be put in place to get the store open right away.

The lease holder for the building, Val Athwal, has made a number of offers to the Post Office to open the branch on a temporary basis.

District councillor Julie Robinson said: "The issue with the leases should be put to one side and dealt with quietly. The CEO of the Post Office should bring in someone on the interim and keep the place open for the public and local businesses.

"We're one of the biggest towns in Dorset and we haven't got a post office or a pay point. People can't get their pensions, pay their rents or get gas and electric. It's appalling."

Edna Stafford, a Ferndown resident who uses the post office on a weekly basis, said: "I'm having to go to West Moors at the moment. It takes two buses to get there and other than the extra cost, it takes a whole morning to do the round trip."

Stuart Fleetham, a local business owner and member of the Ferndown chamber of commerce, said: "Being a local business owner, it's a case of using the post office for banking and sending out the print work we produce. If you can't come to the local branch you have to take time out of your day to drive off somewhere else and you're then out of the town and away from your business.

"This one problem is effecting the whole town. We have a had a large number of people come to the chamber asking for information about it opening and we're actively trying to make contact with the Post Office, but nobody will give a solid answer on when it will open."

Ferndown Town councillor Terry Cordery said: "I think it is appalling. It has taken more than four weeks to solve a problem which is not tremendously difficult.

"There is no communication with the town council from the Post Office. I would happily go to the Post Office and have a meeting with a senior executive to solve the problems and get Ferndown's post office open again."

A Post Office spokesperson, said: “We apologise for the inconvenience to our customers caused by the temporary closure of Ferndown Post Office.

"This has been caused by a private dispute between the previous and current postmasters.

"While we cannot resolve this dispute ourselves, we are doing everything we can to restore Post Office services to the area  as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, alternative branches for customers include West Moors, Wimborne and Parley Cross.”