First class service
Jul 22 2008 by Sue Scott, Evening Gazette
WHEN Royal Mail brought the axe down on the Roman Road post office in Middlesbrough, during the last branch cull, it threatened to disrupt dozens of local businesses who had come to rely on it for the bulk handling of mail and other services.
But rather than pack in, former post master Stuart Hobson decided to push the envelope. He and his wife Sheila not only privatised the post office counter, but extended the business support services on offer, including hot glue binding, laminating and faxing.
At the same time, they increased their existing stock of materials for artists and crafts people.
They hope the two-pronged strategy could secure a lifeline for the hundreds of elderly and disabled customers for whom the half mile hike to the next nearest PO was too far.
“The post office has been in my family for 60 years. My father bought it in 1948,” said Stuart. “About 25% of our trade were business customers, including a lot of eBay customers who did bulk packaging. We have managed to save that part of the Post Office but are charging the same rates as Royal Mail.”
He has also preserved three jobs and is looking at introducing other services, including an ATM machine for elderly customers ‘too scared’ to use a hole in the wall.
