'Like losing a friend': Calls for An Post to delay closure of city post office 

THERE has been a dismayed reaction locally to the news that another post office in Cork City is to close.

An Post confirmed High St post office on the southside is set to close early next month, amid calls to delay the closure and engage with the local community.

A spokesperson for An Post said efforts had been made to keep the office open, telling The Echo it advertised the position on two occasions, after the postmaster announced his intention to resign. An Post said it also engaged in local canvassing in an effort to secure a replacement. “We advertised the contract on two occasions, but we have received no applications and no interest in the vacant contract.

“Our postmaster wishes to exit the High St contract on Saturday, March 5.”

An Post said it had “no alternative” but to close the High St office on that date and transfer customers in receipt of payments from the Department of Social Protection to South Douglas Rd post office.

Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said the decision was like “losing a friend” and he called on An Post to extend the closing time and engage with the local community.

Mr McCarthy said the announcement came as a “huge shock” and he was unaware of efforts to find someone else to operate the post office.

“I don’t know if there was a huge campaign. I have my ear to the ground, I didn’t see it and I didn’t hear it. I have been helping out at the local church in Ballinlough for the past two years, stewarding, and everyone would be talking to you about what’s going on locally and it was never mentioned. It came out of nowhere.”

Mr McCarthy, who lives locally, described the post office as a social hub in the area, saying: “People would use it to meet up on certain days when they were collecting things.”

Mr McCarthy called the venture an “ideal opportunity” for someone.

“That area is busy, I’m surprised no one took it on. It’s an ideal opportunity and it will be a major blow to the High St/Douglas area if it goes. There are a lot of retired people in the area with experience in administration, they might take it on. I’m disappointed, I don’t think An Post got it out there.”

The postal service said customers will move initially to South Douglas Rd, less than 1km away, and will then have the option of transferring to other offices in the area including Albert Rd, Friars Rd, Ballinlough Post Office, or the Cork City office.

“We apologise to customers for the inconvenience but will do all we can to ensure a seamless transfer to other post offices in the area.”

In terms of South Douglas Rd, Mr McCarthy said he was concerned about the area’s capacity to handle the influx of people.

“The South Douglas Rd is a small space, it is not going to take that amount of people. I am calling on An Post to extend the closing time and engage with the local community.”

Local Green Party councillor Dan Boyle said he was concerned about the local access to financial services as a local credit union and bank branch have also closed in recent times.

Mr Boyle said sending people further afield increases car dependency.

He also highlighted the large amount of people who rely on the amenity.

The closure news is just the latest in a series of post office closures in Cork city in recent years.

The High St postmaster is also the postmaster in Albert Rd — however, following advertisements, An Post said it was confident of appointing a new contractor.