Latest news with #RFRetail
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Oswestry's town centre post office to remain open as a franchise
A town's Post Office will remain open and offer the same services, at least until the end of the current financial year.A campaign to save the Willow Street branch in Oswestry, Shropshire, was launched when the Post Office announced last year it was one of 115 at risk of was led by the MP for North Shropshire, Helen Morgan, who said common sense had Post Office said it is transferring all of its remaining directly managed "Crown Post Offices" to franchisees, and the Oswestry branch will be one of five run by RF Retail. More than 3,000 people signed a petition organised by Ms Morgan who said: "I have no doubt that this pressure has helped to keep the Post Office open."The Lib Dem MP also said she would be "monitoring the situation closely to ensure that no services or hours are lost from Oswestry town centre".A decision has yet to be made about the long-term location of the branch, which may move to a different site in the town centre from April next Post Office, which announced in April it wanted to move to a "fully franchised network", said it it was still seeking partners to run more than 100 other Crown Post Offices around the country. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
New postmaster at Caernarfon post office for the ‘near-term'
The post office is to be operated by franchisee RF Retail, under postmaster Richard Fleetwood who has more than 20 years' experience in retail and the Post Office, and whose father and grandfather were also both postmasters. An email from the Post Office, shown to the Chronicle, read that this arrangement will take place 'in the near term' until the branch's long-term future is secured. The email added: 'Franchising the branch now will enable us to unlock funds to increase postmaster remuneration sooner, while minimizing disruption for the local community. 'In practice, this means that the branch will continue to operate from the same premises while the long-term permanent proposal is confirmed, with customers being able to access the same products and services with the same opening hours. 'In parallel, we will work with RF Retail over the remainder of this financial year to review the right long-term premises for your branch, which will either be at the existing site or a new site nearby. 'In the event of a new site being proposed, any move to a new location is unlikely to be before spring 2026 and would be subject to local public consultation in line with our Principles of Community Engagement.' Mr Fleetwood operates six Post Office branches, while his mother also had several senior roles managing sites across the UK. RF Retail's Post Office journey began when it opened its first store in the north-east of England in September 2020, meanwhile. Liz Saville Roberts, MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, said: 'I welcome the news that a prospective franchisee has come forward with the intention of running Caernarfon Post Office, providing a short-term solution to the uncertainty facing the branch. 'It should be appreciated that throughout this campaign, local people wanted to see Post Office services safeguarded in Caernarfon town centre. 'They place an immense value on the convenience of being able to pop into their local branch whether for their business or personal needs. 'Whilst this announcement provides a certain level of certainty, there remains a number of questions surrounding the long-term sustainability of the branch. 'Has there been any assessment of the specific banking needs of the local community, specifically, what provision will be in place to meet the needs of Welsh-language customers? 'What options are being explored to source a long-term location for the branch, including access needs? 'Above all else, what assurances have been provided to current staff about their future employment? 'If, as has been suggested, the branch will temporarily remain at the current location, will staff be retained? 'I will be seeking further clarity about the exact business model going forward to ensure a sustainable, long-term outcome for the local community – one which puts the needs of local Post Office customers first.''
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Three Post Office branches under new management
The Post Office has selected a franchise operator for three of its branches in the Retail will run the branches in Goodhart Road in Bransholme, Hull; Quay Road in Bridlington; and Victoria Street in Post Office branches and six banking hubs are currently run by the month, the Post Office announced it would offload the remaining 108 branches it directly owned and move to a fully franchised network. Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn, who campaigned against the closure of the Grimsby branch, welcomed the news that it would stay according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she added she "remains concerned that the Post Office has not ruled out relocating in the future".Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
