Sydenham Post Office to close

[syd-gal]

Looks like we are losing our Post Office. Such a shame as it is the last real PO in the area.

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/1699 ... t-of-shop/

[pmjs]

My understanding, based on information from the PO today, is that it will be closed for a day then will re-open with a commercial partner.

[JRW]

If the 'commercial party' is WHSmith, it has huge implications for the local newsagents, and is a dubious honour......

[syd-gal]

I just hope they have enough counters so there are not long queues!

[John H]

WH Smith is beginning a programme of branch closures...

[alywin]

Isn't there already an independent stationery and card shop in Sydenham?

[angela53]

From earlier posts about 1 year ago on this forum, my understanding is that this will not be WH Smith but something more like the version in Penge
Personally I would prefer WHSmith to something naff

[KEVD]

Have used the Penge post office a few times and it's not as good as the current Sydenham post office. It's almost as if the post office part is an after thought.

[mikej]

frankly, none of the post offices opened in shops seems anything like as good as the Sydenham Crown Post Office.

[Andyb]

There’s already 2 card shops in hightstreet I thought and said before wen was talk if posty closing that the coop should have incorporated one inside during there refit

[parker]

May the new ‘stationery shop’ containing the new Post Office be WHSmith? If not, who is it?

[Parker1970]

There is a sign up saying it's closed for a month from Mid Feb for Refurbishment.

So does it mean a refurb and there will still be a post office or will it be something else when it re-opens. The news article (noted it is several months ago) says it would be closed for 2 days, now its a month long refurb...

[KPR]

A shame, but not sure I agree with those saying the service up to now has been brilliant - slow, tatty and borderline incompetent would be closer to the truth.

[Maria]

Might be closer to your experience, KPR, but certainly not mine; their service (which I have often used over the past 9 years) has been consistently fast, efficient and competent. So, not "the truth" as you described it...

[syd-gal]

It always used to annoy me that they had 2 self service machines, but on the few occasions I went in, neither were in operation. I was told they need a member of staff to monitor them, and didn't have any spare staff. Seems pointless having the machines.

[alywin]

Typical. I went into Bromley Post Office (aka WH Smith) this afternoon. There was a queue of maybe half a dozen people, so I thought I might as well just use one of the machines - it was only a large letter I was posting. But yes, they were all out of operation, too.