Mayo post offices on the move

A NUMBER of post offices in Mayo are on the move.

In the coming months, Swinford Post Office will move to co-locate at Kennedy’s Eurospar, while in Kiltimagh, the post office will move a few doors up the street to co-locate with Londis on Main Street.

The big move is in Belmullet where on Monday, February 25, An Post will open their new post office.

The new office is co-located in Centra, on Main Street, a short distance from the old office. The postmaster is Joseph Cuffe, proprietor of the Centra store.

By coincidence, on the same day, postal staff in Belmullet (5), Glenamoy (3) and one each in Geesala, Carrowteigue and Bangor Erris will relocate to Barnatra where they will operate from what will effectively be a new mail hub for the area.

In a statement issued to this newspaper yesterday evening, An Post said the move was fully agreed at national level by the company and union representing staff and is a common feature of An Post mails operations around the country.

It will not affect local mail services and undelivered mail will still be available for collection in the local post office.

The statement explained how for a number of years, the company has been upgrading local mail delivery operations - often traditionally based in a room at the back of a post office - into larger, purpose-built facilities. These custom-designed delivery offices enable An Post to provide a better quality and more efficient service for customers, and adequately meet the logistical, health and safety, fleet and security requirements of a modern-day business.

Meanwhile, the search for a new operator to take over the post office service in Ballyhaunis is continuing.

An Post have re-advertised the contract to provide post office services to the people of Ballyhaunis. The post office will remain at its current location until that process is complete.

In recent days new signage was erected at Ballyhaunis Post Office.