WESTBURY could lose its main post office next year after the Co-operative Food supermarket sold its store to Lidl.
The Co-op on Kingfisher Drive – home to Westbury post office – has been bought out by German supermarket giant Lidl. They are to keep the post office until October next year but with reduced hours and cannot be drawn on whether the post office will stay open after that.
The Co-op store is expected to close for a week at the end of November for a refit. When the store reopens as Lidl the post office kiosk will continue to trade, but with shorter hours, until October 2017, and then it could be closed down.
The Post Office confirmed that one of its five serving positions would be lost and that, starting from Monday 3rd December, it would open from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday, a cut from the current 7am to 10pm. The current Sunday opening hours will also be scrapped.
A Post Office spokesperson told White Horse News, “The Co-op has decided to close its store at Westbury in November. Westbury Post Office is based within the store, but a commitment has been made that it will be able to remain on site until the end of the Co-op’s resignation period in 2017.
“Westbury Post Office will be closed temporarily from Sunday 27th November for the retail side of the store to be stripped, including the low-screened post office counter alongside the retail counter.
“We are committed to maintaining a post office in this area of Westbury, potentially with a new retailer at the existing site or at a new location.”
Lidl confirmed it will be taking over the store, but declined to say what will happen to the post office in future.
A Lidl spokesperson said, “We can confirm that Lidl will be taking over the Co-op site on Kingfisher Drive, Westbury. More details will be announced in due course.”
A Co-op spokesperson said, “The decision to sell the store is in no way a reflection on the hard work and commitment from colleagues working at the Westbury store.
“All colleagues will transfer to Lidl and it will continue to trade as a Co-op until completion of the sale.”
