Staff and protestors clashed with senior management last week over plans to downgrade Machynlleth’s Post Office services.

Four senior officials met with staff on 3 December to discuss plans that would reduce the Post Office housed in the Spar convenience store from two desks to one this January, and limit some of its services.

Management of AF Blakemore & Sons Ltd, which owns the store and holds the Post Office contract, was met by a group of protestors standing outside the shop.

Protestors entered the meeting with staff to present the management with a petition against the changes, signed by over 700 concerned residents.

Signs held by the dozen protestors included responses from a survey put out by residents to the community, calling on management to support the existing Post Office staff and services.

Cassian Lodge, a Machynlleth resident and wheelchair user, held a sign illustrating how the changes would affect them - forcing them to do a three-hour journey by train to access passport and ID services, instead of their current 30-minute journey.

Cassian described a constant queue at both the Post Office and Spar counters, stating that to combine both counters “seems really impractical”, adding: “It seems like the decision was made by someone who has never actually been to this Post Office.

“I feel really angry about services being taken away from small towns just because they don’t make money.

“Public services aren’t supposed to make money.”

Staff at the store said at least one person was in tears during the meeting, with frustrations running high because of the lack of clarity coming from upper management.

One staff member had written to Blakemore’s on behalf of the team to raise their concerns about the changes.

Speaking to the Cambrian News, they said the proposals had been “handled very badly”, with no one “bothering to respond to my letter”.

In November it was announced that the branch would be redesigned in the new year to convert the office from a ‘Main Post Office’ to a ‘Local Post Office counter’ by closing the two desks at the back of the Spar and creating a Post Office counter at the Spar tills instead.

All services other than IDs, including postage and banking, would remain the same.

The new set-up would extend Post Office hours from 9-5pm Mon-Fri and 9-1pm on Saturdays to 8-8pm seven days a week.

Jenny Sutton, who has been leading the community response against the proposals, raised concerns over staff wellbeing and the potential for hours to be cut.

Having attended the meeting with the staff and management, Jenny said: “They acknowledged the concerns for local businesses and the difficulties of moving the counter to the front of the shop.”

Staff and protestors both report that management agreed to put the changes “on hold”, however Blakemore’s has not confirmed this.

A staff member said: “I made it very clear that I was having a tough time believing them.”

AF Blakemore & Sons has not responded to repeated requests for comment.