A COUNCILLOR has criticised a decision to close Selby Post Office next month and move it into the town's WHSmith shop.

The Post Office has decided that, following a period of local public consultation and review, its proposal to shut Selby Post Office will go-ahead.

Selby town councillor Steve Shaw-Wright said the Post Office's decision is "really disappointing."

The Micklegate branch will close on May 29, the Post Office has announced. It said a new branch featuring four serving positions, with one screened and three open plan counters, will open at WHSmith on Gowthorpe on May 30.

In a similar move, York's main post office in Lendal closed earlier this month and a new branch with five serving positions and four self-service kiosks opened in WHSmith in Coney Street.

Cllr Shaw-Wright commented: "It is in an excellent location where it is. It's accessible with parking close by.

"Where it is going is the most inconvenient place possible. The shop is on a busy footpath on the high street. There is no parking nearby. The nearest parking space is the car park near the current post office."

He also said: "There was a good response publicly with people rejecting the plans and putting objections in and it has been disregarded. They've not listened to what people want."

The branch is going to be located at the back of the WHSmith shop, Cllr Shaw-Wright added.

The Post Office said the new branch will be operated by WHSmith Ltd and will be known as Selby Post Office.

It will provide a wide range of Post Office products and services, alongside a retail offer of stationery, gifts and greetings cards, but there will be no cash machine.

However, the Post Office said all branches now offer customers access to their usual high street bank account, which means customers will be able to deposit and withdraw cash, as well as check their balance, over the counter at the branch, during the extended opening hours.

Services will be available seven days a week, from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sundays.

Roger Gale, network and sales director, said that the change would help to ensure the branch is commercially viable into the future and therefore protect Post Office services on which customers in the area depend.

He said: “The Post Office is committed to keeping our services at the heart of communities which we know is hugely important to people. This change means we can continue to do that, into the future. We are making sure we take the right action to sustain services for years to come.”