Plans to move Post Office are ‘a shambles’

Post Office Ltd wrote to customers last week setting out proposals to move the service out of its current home in the High Street and into Jempson’s Budgens in Market Square.

The letter, which also appeared on the company’s website, said a six week consultation was to launch on December 3.

The document said the service would move in spring 2014.

But last Friday (December 6), following an article published in the Observer, Post Office Ltd said the company was ‘not in a position to release that information’.

It added that information about the potential move had ‘got into the public domain too early’.

The consultation document was still visible on the Post Office website on Monday morning (December 9).

It had been removed by the afternoon.

A spokesperson for Post Office Ltd said: “Consultation regarding the possible relocation of Battle Post Office has been withdrawn because not all parties were ready to proceed with the proposal at this stage.

“Consultation materials were released too early.

“Customers and opinion formers will be notified when we are in a position to commence a six week public consultation exercise.”

Rother District Councillor Kevin Dixon, who represents Battle, received a copy of the consultation letter last week.

He told the Observer that he believed Post Office Ltd had made a ‘shambles’ of the process.

Cllr Dixon said: “I think it is appalling that the Post Office have made such a shambles of this possible relocation, and then apparently withdrawing the proposal without telling anyone.

“If it is to be moved then it is essential that all parties are in agreement, and the information released to enable proper local consultation is accurate.

“So far, none of that has happened.”