South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth has welcomed proposals to locate the Langholm Post Office within Langholm Town Hall- but expressed his disappointment that the hours of opening will remain well below those of the previous Post Office in the town.

Langholm Post Office has been operating as a mobile service from the Town Hall carpark since November 2018 following the resignation of the previous Post Master. The Post Office was previously located in the Londis shop in the town.

The new service within the Town Hall itself will commence on Friday 1st November 2019 with opening hours on a Wednesday from 10am to 3.30pm and Friday 9am to 2pm- a total of 10 ½ hours per week.

The current temporary Hosted Outreach Mobile Post Office service is scheduled to cease on Wednesday 30 October 2019. The mobile service hours are currently Wednesdays 12.30pm until 3.30pm and Fridays 9am until 3.30pm.

Colin Smyth said, “A number of constituents have contacted me with concerns over the future of services for customers from Langholm and across the Esk Valley since it was revealed that the Post Office was going to close last November and I have been lobbying the Post Office to find a way forward”.

“Although the temporary mobile service has served a purpose, it is far from ideal and a more permanent solution is badly needed. The use of the Town Hall is a positive proposal, which I welcome because it also adds to the services available there. However, it is disappointing that a way was not found to increase the opening hours more than just two days a week. I will therefore be urging the Post Office to continue to look at whether longer hours could be considered in the future.”

Post Office Limited are carrying out a consultation to gain feedback from local people on the new service plans.

Responses can be provided here; https://www.postofficeviews.co.uk/national-consultation-team/langholm-dg13-0jh-230818-1/