Englefield Green’s Victoria Street Post Office

I have heard from many residents who are deeply concerned about the abrupt closure of the post office in Victoria Street. Whilst we all knew that the Post Office was due to close in the next few months, it was certainly a surprise to visit the shop on Friday to find a note saying the shop would be closed from Monday onwards.

It appears that our surprise at the closure of the Victoria Street branch has also come as somewhat of a surprise to the national Post Office. My colleague, Cllr Mike Kusneraitis telephoned the Post Office’s national hotline to enquire as to details of the closure only to be told that they had also not been informed about the timetable for the closure of the branch!

A letter from an Englefield Green East constituent to Postwatch, the postal regulator, produced the following reply:

Your fears about Englefield Green Post Office have proved to be well founded. Post Office Ltd will be shortly making an announcement regarding this branch. It seems the branch has been under temporary management since the termination of the previous subpostmaster’s contract and the owner of the premises, now wants the Post Office removed.

This might provide the solution to your query as to why the store in Bond Street could not once more house the post office. If you believe the owners would be prospective candidates, why not suggest they contact Post Office Ltd’s Agency Recruitment team (telephone number: 0845 601 6260), who, I am assured, are already on the look out to replace the closing branch.

From what you say, Post Office Ltd will already know the people and premises in Bond Street and that may hasten a replacement.

Meanwhile, as you will certainly already know, the nearest branch is Egham Post Office, which is 1.2 miles from the closing branch. There is a direct bus service from the closing branch. Opening times are Monday to Friday 09:00-17:30 and Saturdays 09:00-13:00.

I hope a good resolution can be speedily found. Please contact Postwatch again if you believe we can help or you have further queries.

Clearly, it is unacceptable to expect Englefield Green residents - particularly the elderly and young families - to trudge down to Egham to use a Post Office.

Thankfully, it appears that a solution has already been found. The owner of the former Post Office on Bond Street has confirmed that he would be delighted to take on the franchise for the Post Office in the neat future.

Watch this space…