New post office in pub - commercial mortgages

09 October 2006

Closing the village shop in Frittenden prompted investors in the village to open what is believed to be the first permanent post office in a public house, the Kent Courier reports.

The market for people with commercial mortgages has suffered in recent months due to a decline in the retail sector which has led to a number of post office and local business closures.

The newspaper reports that the new outlet is part of a scheme to "counteract the loss" of services in rural areas.

Rosie McClintock, who opened the Post Office in the Bell and Jorrocks pub, comments: "There are a few in the country which are mobile post offices where somebody comes in for the day, but we are the only permanent post office in a pub with a computer system."

Post Office representatives have visited the pub to see the potential for similar schemes in existing commercial properties elsewhere in the country.

According to a recent report by Age Concern, Royal Mail closed 144 rural post offices lat year.