Earlier this year, Spurtle reported the Post Office’s consultation on a likely move out of the St James Centre and into Unit 5/6 Princes Mall (Breaking news, 14.2.14).
That relocation has since been confirmed for 22 September 2014, prompting Mark Lazarowicz MP to again ask questions about:
- maintaining services in the St James Centre for as long as possible
- returning to the new St James Quarter as soon as possible after its completion
- accessibility to the new Princes Mall branch
- service capacity at the alternative Elm Row and Frederick Street branches.
The PO has now replied to Lazarowicz’s points in detail. We paraphrase their responses below.
Self-service machines cannot be maintained here until the Centre finally closes because to do so would ‘confuse’ customers and raise ‘serious security implications’. Furthermore, the PO’s self-imposed requirement to ‘host’ self-service machines would entail additional staffing and expense.
Returning to the new St James Quarter
The PO has taken on an expensive 10-year lease for new premises at Princes Mall. Any return to the St James Quarter would depend on ‘disposability’ of the Princes Mall lease, and the rental cost of the new development.
The PO concedes that arrangements here for elderly and disabled customers ‘could be better’, but has limited ability to influence its new landlords to improve matters.
Access via Waverley Station: steps and escalator.
Access via Costa Coffee (Princes Street): 35 steps.
Access via Princes Street (main entrance): 12 steps or Disability Discrimination Act-compliant ramp + lift or escalator.
Access via Waverley Bridge: non-DDA-compliant ramp.
Elm Row (agency branch) has 3 staff and 3 counter positions (of which 2 are used at present). It will take on extra staff if necessary.
Frederick Street (Crown branch) has two self-service kiosks and 5 counter positions.
The PO is confident both branches will cope with any influx of displaced customers.
Still concerned ...
He urges anyone with suggestions for how access could be improved to contact him. He will pass on their ideas to the PO’s senior stakeholder manager for this area. For those without email, the constituency office is located at 5 Croall Place (Tel. 557 0577).
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Union Gallery That is a nuisance!