Pub post office plan
Rural pubs could be set to reap the rewards of a new government scheme, which could see the Post Office setting up 500 new outlets in remote communities.
Under the initiative a fifth of the post offices currently operating in the country will be closed. But venues in 500 'outreach locations', including community centres, village halls and pubs, will be encouraged to start offering postal services.
Alistair Darling, Trade and Industry Secretary, said the plan was to "look more at post offices where people are, be it through mobile offices, village halls, community centres or pubs".
John Longden, campaign director of rural pub championing organisation Pub is the Hub, has helped open 100 post offices in pubs in the past five years.
The organisation is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and on-trade research business CGA Strategy to produce a rural mapping system, which will look at post office closures and identify pubs that could operate postal services.
Longden said: "We warmly welcome Alistair Darling's report, which said pubs could be one of these 'outreach' locations. That's great recognition of the wider role the pub can play in the community."
Adam Jakeman, joint licensee at the Kings Arms Inn in Stainton, Penrith, is putting a post office into the pub shortly. He said: "Particularly in this area, there's quite an elderly community. It's difficult for them to get access to the main post office and shops.
"A post office will be the centre of the village and the centre of the community, it helps keep village life together. And perhaps people in the village will meet new people and get involved in village activities."
