West Kilbride Post Office branch is safe say Spar owners

The company recently announced that they are removing Post Office counters from 31 company-owned stores in Scotland, with rumours circulating around the village that West Kilbride was on the list.

The decision follows 18 months of negotiations with the Post Office after the Scottish Spar operator found it was not “viable” to continue offering the service in certain areas.

One worried customer told the News: "There has been talk that our post office counter might not be here for very much longer - and staff have been concerned.

"This would be a major issue in the village if it was to close."

Dundee-based wholesaler CJ Lang said the move to reduce post offices in their Spar branches had come about because of industry-wide pressures on retail outlets as it 'evolves to keep up with changing consumer habits.'

However a spokesman confirmed to the News that the post office within the West Kilbride Spar shop will remain.

Spar took over the running of the service seven years agom with daily opening hours of 7am until 10pm Monday to Saturday and 8am opening on Sundays.

The former Crown post office underwent a major change in 2003 when it down-sized and became part of it became the Cherry Orchard restaurant before moving into Spar.

West Kilbride Conservative councillor Todd Ferguson says the news the branch is safe is welcome.

He said: "The removal of these facilities from West Kilbride would have been very worrying.

"West Kilbride has an ageing population and it is not acceptable that they may have to travel to Largs or Saltcoats in order to access these services.

"Once you move these things away from the town, you lose the additional spin-offs as people shop elsewhere.

"We are trying to regenerate high streets and Post Office provision is an important part of that.

"West Kilbride has a long association with the service, going back to the days of the late Anne Wilkinson who was the postmistress her for decades."

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