The Post Office must do more to secure the future of post office services in the town of Langholm, according to South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth.

The local MSP’s comments come after Post Office Ltd confirmed that the Post Office within the Londis shop in Langholm will close on 13 November. It will be replaced by a mobile service from the car park behind Langholm Town Hall on Wednesday’s from 12:30pm until 3.30pm and Friday’s from 09:00 – 15:30, commencing on 14 November.

Post Office Ltd say the arrangements are “temporary” while they search for a long term solution, however Colin Smyth has described the proposals as “not good enough” and earlier this week wrote to Post Office Ltd Chief Executive Paula Vennells calling on the Post Office to do more to secure a permanent base, with longer opening hours.

Colin Smyth said, “The confirmation that the Post Office will close on 13 November is yet another blow to local services in Langholm. The response from Post Office Ltd of a mobile service less than a day and half a week is just not good enough. I have already written to Post Office Ltd Chief Executive Paula Vennells calling for a far more proactive approach form the company to work with the community to secure a long term solution with far better opening hours”.

“The Government owned Post Office Ltd approach of tucking a Post office into the back of shops simply doesn’t work in every community yet the company are obsessed by such a model which just hasn’t worked in Langholm”.

“One of the biggest reasons for Post Office closures is the fact Post Office Ltd are continually cutting the commission they pay to those running the branches. This makes them financially unviable and the Government are just turning a blind eye to the demise of branches which are closing all over the country at an alarming rate. The poor levels of commission make finding people to run Post Offices almost impossible in our communities and its local businesses and the public who rely on the Post Office who are losing out”