Fight to keep Isle post office open

Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, Andrew Percy

McColl’s in Crowle - the current location of the town’s post office - announced its decision to surrender the post office contract leaving the future of the service uncertain.

But MPs and councillors battling to keep the service open are working to find a new location in the town.

MP Andrew Percy sent a letter to residents explaining that plans were being put in place to keep the service running.

Updating residents MP Andrew Percy posted on Facebook: “Following the Crowle Post Office operator’s decision to surrender their Post Office contract, I raised this issue with North Lincs Council Leader, Councillor Rob Waltham.

“I was happy to hear that he and North Lincs Council have committed to hosting the Post Office in any Council building in Crowle as either a short term or long term solution.

“The Post Office have also confirmed that they are in talks with both the Co-Op and Tesco to act as potential Post Office sites. I will continue to work with Councillors John Briggs and Julie Reed along with the Post Office to find a solution to this.

“The Post Office will inform us of any further developments and we will be sure to keep residents updated when further information is received.”

Dozens of residents took to social media posting in the In Crowle Community Facebook page about the issue.

One post read: “Something has to be done, there are lots of elderly people in Crowle who don’t have the means of travelling elsewhere to a post office, there isn’t a bank anymore, can’t understand why Crowle as a town has been able to dwindle as it has. It was thriving at one time.”

It has been a tough year for McColl’s after the front of the shop was destroyed following the theft of a cash point from the shop last November.

The High Street shop began trading as normal shortly after the incident but spent months boarded up before the frontage was restored just weeks ago.

Humberside Police said a JCB digger was believed to have been used to pull the ATM out of the exterior wall of the shop, which was demolished in the raid.