Post Office re-opens talks with Hooks

2:57pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News Exclusive By Kirsty James

An artist's impression of how the post office could look IF it was at Hooks. Photo: submitted. An artist's impression of how the post office could look IF it was at Hooks. Photo: submitted.

PROGRESS is finally being made to establish a permanent post office in Bridgwater’s town centre.

Post Office Ltd has re-opened negotiations with Hooks about putting its main office for the town at the back of the Eastover store.

Hooks stressed the plans are not a done deal, but manager Charlotte Spencer said, if successful, the project could help to regenerate Eastover.

“People would pass by the other shops to get here and a lot of the empty units would be filled,” she told the Mercury.

“Hooks are in talks with the Post Office. Nothing’s been agreed yet but we really want to get this sorted as soon as possible because we want to move on as a business.”

The popular store was originally considered as an option and the Post Office even released an artist’s impression of the development.

The idea at the time would have seen the partitioning at the back of Hooks taken down to make room for a new post office, with a booth.

It would be accessible through the store and also have its own entrance at the back, making it more accessible from those using busses.

The public made it clear they felt Sainsbury’s would be an unsuitable location, raising concerns over traffic congestion and poor access for people walking, especially the elderly.

Alan Hurford, clerk to Bridgwater Town Council, said: “Since the Post Office took the decision not to pursue the Sainsbury's option, which we never supported, things have progressed towards an alternative site which will be in a location where we actually want the post office to be.

"I hope that it will be resolved pretty soon."

Sedgemoor District Council said it supports the desire for the return of a post office in the town centre.

A spokesman added: “We are working hard in partnership with the Town Council to make this a reality and have jointly pledged to provide support to find a sustainable and suitable solution.

“No formal proposal has been made by Post Office Ltd at this stage, however, a public consultation period will be launched by them once a firm proposal is in place.”

A Post Office spokesman said they were unable to confirm any proposed location yet, adding: “We have been working with the town council and district council to explore suitable alternative locations for Bridgwater Post Office.

“When we have finalised a proposal for a new location we will undertake a six-week public consultation process and invite customer feedback on the proposed new location for the branch.”

Comments(19)

grisleyreg says...
4:05pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Good location lets hope it happens and happens soon,

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chill12 says...
8:57pm Fri 1 Feb 13

“People would pass by the other shops to get here and a lot of the empty units would be filled,” umm....no they wouldn't...they'd get off the bus and go straight in the post office or they'd park in asda, or on top the market and quickly nip in!!

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Doverbeme says...
9:07pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Aww...I like it where it is.

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windswept and interesting says...
9:13pm Fri 1 Feb 13

chill12 wrote:
“People would pass by the other shops to get here and a lot of the empty units would be filled,” umm....no they wouldn't...they'd get off the bus and go straight in the post office or they'd park in asda, or on top the market and quickly nip in!!
mm I thought that. With regard to people on foot, surely it will take people away from the shops ?

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vanman20 says...
10:32pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Shame,would of been handy in Sainsburys.

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Blue Owl says...
11:43pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Doverbeme wrote:
Aww...I like it where it is.
That could be an option for a second branch, if and when the Tesco Store gets Planning permission, perhaps one of the proposed retail units to be constructed@ the Site, could be a Newsagents, Stationary Store, incorporating a PO Counter within.
My own choice would be a HighSt location, or Fore Street.
It's all very well suggesting Eastover, but with the new scheme, being looked at, for total pedestrianisation of Eastover, I think a move there would not be quite right, it's not as if there is no alternative,on the High Street, central for the buses, etc.
There is little parking, in Eastover to allow parking, on the Street now. With the onset of total vehicular restriction, this I believe would be counter-Productive.

Regards Blue-Owl
PS. The Eastover Vision Document, is totally flawed, as well it is to have these grand Asperations, they still have to be financed, if as proposed they pedestrianise Eastover, then that's another, demise in the area's
Ability to attract more viable enterprise to the shopping experience in Eastover, Bridgwater.
Blue Owl.

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MBR Extreme says...
6:31am Sat 2 Feb 13

I'm sorry but Eastover ( or little Poland as its now known is no good) it should be up the top of town in our country.

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frags27 says...
11:31am Sat 2 Feb 13

How about sticking in the old Argos store that is big enough and more central there is very little over the bridge worth going down for at the moment so unless you are going to improve the whole street no point sticking it in Hooks. People won't venture down that far if there is nothing else shop wise worth visiting. You can do most things at smaller PO's anyway probably the only thing you cannot do at some is car tax. Personally I never need to visit one, car tax do online and if I need to post a package I use a village one instead.

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JOGLE08 says...
12:07pm Sat 2 Feb 13

talk about damned if you do, damned if you don't!!!
massive negative reaction gets Post Office to actually change their mind and not move it to Sainsburys and now people aren't happy it will be in an area of the town centre that will surely benefit from the extra people.
Positive action might not be common but surely this deserves some????

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JOGLE08 says...
12:11pm Sat 2 Feb 13

Apologies - obviously should have said "move it FROM Sainsburys" in last post!

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Alex@SDA says...
12:32pm Sat 2 Feb 13

JOGLE08 wrote:
talk about damned if you do, damned if you don't!!!
massive negative reaction gets Post Office to actually change their mind and not move it to Sainsburys and now people aren't happy it will be in an area of the town centre that will surely benefit from the extra people.
Positive action might not be common but surely this deserves some????
I agree with the above. At least it is something and not a portable toilet block on a patch of waste-ground.

There was mention earlier in this thread regards parking issues in Eastover, and High Street would be preferable; then pray tell me where do you park in the High St area? What was once short term parking spaces are now empty taxi-spaces. Same by the church just before Cornhill as well as St Mary St.

With all this carping about wrong location, at least Hooks are looking at not only supplying an answer but to maintain their own stability.

Eastover has always been a backwater. I remember when Philips & Co relocated from Fore St. Wasn't a successful move as it transpired.

This is perhaps the best offer to date.

I like the idea of the old Argos building, but these days the P.Office seems to prefer to use an "in-shops" philosophy to save costs, sadly they cannot look at anything in a business or capitalistic point of view.

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ohdearithappenedagain says...
10:13am Sun 3 Feb 13

Alex@SDA wrote:
JOGLE08 wrote:
talk about damned if you do, damned if you don't!!!
massive negative reaction gets Post Office to actually change their mind and not move it to Sainsburys and now people aren't happy it will be in an area of the town centre that will surely benefit from the extra people.
Positive action might not be common but surely this deserves some????
I agree with the above. At least it is something and not a portable toilet block on a patch of waste-ground.

There was mention earlier in this thread regards parking issues in Eastover, and High Street would be preferable; then pray tell me where do you park in the High St area? What was once short term parking spaces are now empty taxi-spaces. Same by the church just before Cornhill as well as St Mary St.

With all this carping about wrong location, at least Hooks are looking at not only supplying an answer but to maintain their own stability.

Eastover has always been a backwater. I remember when Philips & Co relocated from Fore St. Wasn't a successful move as it transpired.

This is perhaps the best offer to date.

I like the idea of the old Argos building, but these days the P.Office seems to prefer to use an "in-shops" philosophy to save costs, sadly they cannot look at anything in a business or capitalistic point of view.
I heard somewhere that there's one or two spaces at Angel Place for people visiting the High Street/Cornyhill area.....could be a rumour though as I don't "do town" myself.

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Alex@SDA says...
12:27pm Sun 3 Feb 13

As per above, I must admit I do forget the Angel Place car-park. I tend to use where the Splash was and walk past Great Escape into town. Maybe I ought to change my habits.

I do try to avoid using a car park as normally I'm just popping into the bank or something similar and cannot justify the cost for less than 5 minutes. Motoring costs enough in any case.

Getting this back on topic, is it really that bad that if Eastover fails to match the ideals of some, surely better than what there is so far. At least there is 20 minutes free in ASDA car-park. Mind you, the queues we used to endure when the Post Office was in Angel Place would absorb your free 20 mins.

There would always be somewhere better in someone's opinion, case of pleasing some of the people some of the time, not all the people all the time.

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Bridgy old Boy says...
10:31pm Sun 3 Feb 13

Got to be good news if it comes off and a shot in the arm for Eastover which is much needed.

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BaldCarl2 says...
7:58pm Mon 4 Feb 13

Hooks will look quite busy once it is full of old people that smell of urine moaning about how long they are having to queue up.

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Bridgy old Boy says...
10:54pm Mon 4 Feb 13

Oh dear Carl where did you get that Intimate knowledge of what old folks smell of? you clearly spend too much time sniffing around them.

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Blue Owl says...
12:08am Tue 5 Feb 13

Whilst I congratulate Hooks for coming forward to suggest a possible location, there just is to much talk, and no action by Post Office Counters Plc. It is obvious they don't want to relocate at all. Perhaps with the decline in record and CD, DVD Sales, Smiths Newsagents could be a possible centre of Town location. As they are a store, with the access requirements, that Post Office Counters could favour.
Myself the reported comments re a booth in the back of Hooks retailers would not inspire me to visit.
Regards Blue- Owl

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Blue Owl says...
8:52pm Tue 5 Feb 13

Lets just get Post Office Counters to do something, I read that when they have a possible solution they will enter again into a 6 week Consultation Period, have we not already had enough, enough of their So -Called Consultations.......
for the last 4 years!
I say ' Get on with it' enough talk delaying the process. If you Post Office Counters Ltd / Plc were remotely interested in what we the residents thought, you would have taken notice, in the First Instance, when we said No to Closing our Cornhill Main Postal Branch !! After countess Consultations, you did exactly what you planned to do !!
I Do Not Trust Your Consultations!!
I Wonder Why, once Bitten Twice Shy!
Ex Cllr David Preece Aka Blue -Owl

Post Office Counters- I say
Just get on with it, and open another one in the Northgate Retail Shopping Units, if Tesco's gets its Planning Consent for the store. Then you will please everyone, both ends of Town.
Blue- Owl

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Karen1056 says...
10:42am Fri 8 Feb 13

Does the person on about parking visit Eastover , there is as someone said 20 min parking in Asda, a car park to the right of Asda and one behind the Bus station in New Road plus one above the old Sainsbury's also parking spaces by Oxfam and the old hooks. And 1 1/12 hours in Aldi for shoppers i do not go to Sainsbury's I find walking through the car park you take your life in your hands no crossings , also to get there crossing are a nightmare . I think hooks is a good choice elderly can catch the bus lets hope for a positive outcome

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