Halkyn Post Office has re-opened in the village pub and to honour the occasion, licensee Steve Marquis has commissioned two new real ales – First Class and Special Delivery.
Following the retirement of the previous sub-postmaster, Steve Marquis applied for the Post Office counter service and since it opened opened its doors at the pub Steve Marquis and his team have been overwhelmed with customers’ response.
Steve said: “I’ve been at the Blue Bell for eleven years now and keep thinking of new initiatives to offer our customers from near and far. The Post Office is a great addition to the pub and we’ve already had really good feedback from customers, Last Sunday, we were able to help a customer wanting to post a very important parcel before he left on holiday. As we’re open on Saturday and Sunday, we were able to help out.
Malcolm Harrison, Advisor for Pub is The Hub in Wales said: “Projects like this always need the driving force of great pub operators – and Steve Marquis is just that. Embedded in the heart of his community, he is well placed to understand the ebb and flow of rural life and its services priorities. We wish the Blue Bell lots of luck in the new Post Office venture.”
Cadwyn Clwyd’s Rural Services Officer Helen Roberts said: “We want the village pub to be at the heart of the community and the Blue Bell is an excellent example of how a local pub can help maintain those vital rural services that are so important to village life.
This project has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
Additional notes
This change to the Post Office network is being carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice for changes to the network, as agreed with Consumer Futures, the national consumer organisation.
Post Office Limited has an unrivalled national network of over 11,500 branches across the UK, more than all the high street banks combined, and sits at the heart of many communities across the country. The Post Office has made a commitment to no more branch closure programmes. It provides around 170 different services and products spanning financial services including savings, insurance, loans, mortgages and credit cards. Post Office also offers Government services; telephony; foreign currency; travel insurance and mail services.
It serves around 20 million customers a week and half of all small businesses and 99.7% of people live within three miles of their nearest Post Office outlet. For many rural communities the post office is the only retail outlet. Post offices remain highly valued and trusted and are the focal point for many communities. For more information, visit www.postoffice.co.uk