Post offices are ever-dependable features of our high streets, sitting at the heart of our communities, offering what I consider an essential service in keeping people connected. Located in the centre of our town, Windsor Post Office provides a range of mail options, as well as travel, driving, identity and money services for local residents.
While these post office services are most frequently used by the most vulnerable members of our community, according to Citizens Advice, more than 1 in 3 people aged 16-30, and 7 in 10 small businesses, say that their local post office is “very or extremely important” to them. For regular visitors, using the services provided is a core part of their day-to-day transactions; businesses function around being able to access a post office regularly and residents rely on their trademark accessibility for a range of purposes, from banking to paying their bills.
Therefore, convenience is critical. In the same Citizens Advice study, when asked for the top reason for using their local post office, being “near home” was overwhelmingly chosen by consumers. Closing this post office removes any degree of convenience for Windsor town residents, in turn putting vulnerable people at risk of losing these essential services. The Clewer and Dedworth Green branches are 1.4 and 1.7 miles away from the Peascod Street branch respectively.
Moreover, the local economic impact of closing this branch must be considered. As the 2023 Network Report states, the Post Office “stimulates and facilitates economic activity at a national, regional and local level”, generating £3.1 billion in additional local spending. It is so important Windsor high street and town centre prospers, and with every two in five visits to a Post Office resulting in money spent in neighbouring shops and premises, it acts as an invaluable support structure for Windsor’s local businesses to thrive.