By Daniel Swales
A consultation period over plans to move Harrogate’s main Post Office into a branch of WHSmith is set to close in under a fortnight.
The Post Office has announced changes to how they will operate in Harrogate, with a proposed move from the town’s main branch on Cambridge Road to a new location on the first floor of WHSmith in the Victoria Centre.
Such a move has been touted by the Post Office as being a way of continuing the modernisation of their branch network, stating they believe a retail partner will most effectively secure the long term progress of the Post Office.
Harrogate’s local MP, Andrew Jones has heavily criticised the move in a letter to the public, saying: “This does not feel like a step forward to me.
“It feels like our post office is to be downgraded from a Crown Post Office to something very different and potentially much smaller.”
The general public have been urged by Mr Jones to make their voices heard, with the local public consultation ending on December 19 2018.
Patrons of Harrogate’s Crown Post Office spoke to Yorkshire Voice to give their opinion on the proposed move.