I’m demanding a fair deal for North-East Post Offices.
I have sent a submission to the Westminster Government in response to their consultation on the future of the Post Office calling for an end to the managed decline of postal services in rural Scotland, where the Post Office is often the last shop standing.
Data from the House of Commons Library has revealed a stark geographical divide where the Post Office network in London has grown by 14% over the last decade, while Scotland has seen the UK’s steepest decline at 11%.
In the North-east, the impact has been particularly felt. Recent years have seen the closure of vital branches like Rosehearty, Boddam and Crimond and the refranchising of major sites such as Fraserburgh, while villages across Aberdeenshire and Moray are left reliant on “outreach” mobile vans that offer limited hours and zero long-term security.
The Post Office is not just a place to buy stamps. In rural Scotland, it can be the local bank, the parcel hub, and even the central social glue of our high streets. But while London sees growth, our communities are being left with a skeleton service.
It is unacceptable that postmasters in the North-east are being forced to choose between serving their community and closure.
The looming 2030 ‘re-alignment’ plans put 115 branches at risk and the Westminster government’s strategy looks like one of managed decline.
I have made it clear to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade that a ‘meaningful review’ must mean actual investment, not just a promise to keep a van visiting for two hours a week.
We need a model that puts postmasters at the heart of the business – including serious consideration of mutualisation – to ensure our local branches aren’t just surviving but thriving.
With the continuing withdrawal of high-street banks across the country I also raised the banking vacuum being filled by overstretched postmasters.
I’m calling for the Westminster Government to mandate a “Community Banking Guarantee,” ensuring that where a bank closes, the local Post Office receives the necessary funding and technology to handle all personal and business cash requirements.
Our postmasters are the unsung heroes of the North-east, but they cannot pay their bills with gratitude. We need a Post Office that works for rural Scotland, not just for the balance sheets in London.
