I am appalled at the absolute mess which has been made of Huddersfield Post Office’s move to a new location.
When the Post Office first announced that the two branches in the town centre would be closed and merged into a new location I was heavily critical of the decision. I raised it with the Post Office at the time, as well as with the government.
The lovely Victorian building on Northumberland Street has been in service for over a hundred years, and my constituents rely on it for Post Office services. It’s in a central location and offers a wide variety of services. It’s true that it could have been improved, but it had recently seen investment in new self-service machines and an internal re-design.
The replacement Post Office on New Street is situated at the back of a coffee shop, and I find it unbelievable that the move has been carried out despite the new building being unfinished. My constituents are having to walk through a building site as the coffee shop is fitted. I have had reports that staff members have been suffering with headaches due to paint fumes, and my constituents say they don’t feel safe walking through a live building site to access the Post Office counters.
I’ve written to the Post Office and to Kelly Tolhurst MP, the government minister responsible for postal services. I want answers on how this unacceptable situation has been allowed to come about, and guarantees on the future of the historic former Post Office on Northumberland Street.
