Mobile post office couple 'itching' to get started in Wick store
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Mobile post office operator Glyn Jackson says a deal to provide a service from within Wick's Poundstretcher store is "frustratingly close".
The town has been without a shop-based post office since the branch at 125-127 High Street closed suddenly on February 20.
Mr Jackson and his wife Joy have offered to run a fixed service in Wick in addition to their mobile post office commitments. Currently these include three days a week, for between three and five hours at a time, at the riverside car park – close to the Poundstretcher store in Macleay Lane.
Mr Jackson understands that details of the contract arrangements are still being checked over by the Poundstretcher legal team.
“We're itching for it to happen, and Poundstretcher are keen – obviously it's going to help their business," he said today.
“We are agents for the Post Office, effectively. It's up to us to find the business premises, so it's out of the Post Office's hands.
“If it's not in black and white, somebody could challenge that at a later stage.
“Unfortunately there's no cut-and-paste template for that. It's not something that the legal department in Poundstretcher would normally do, perhaps. They're probably having to draw this up from scratch, with all that fine print.
“They keep saying it's on the desk and it's almost ready for signing."
Once the arrangements are finalised, the necessary equipment will be transferred from the old post office premises.
“Things will all move very quickly once that bit of paperwork comes through. It's frustratingly close," Mr Jackson said.
He added: “The feedback generally has been great and we're doing all that we can in the meantime.”
The new service within Poundstretcher will operate from 9am to 12.30pm and 1pm to 4pm, Monday to Thursday.
The mobile service is at the riverside car park on a Wednesday (10.30am to 2.30pm), Thursday (9am to 2pm) and Friday (11.15am to 2.15pm).
However, the van is booked in for a service this Friday afternoon.
The Jacksons will be continuing their twice-weekly visits to Wick's Macarthur Street on a Friday morning and a Monday afternoon.
Local MP Jamie Stone is among those who have praised Mr and Mrs Jackson.
He said recently: "My thanks go to all those involved in restoring these vital services to Wick. All credit to Glyn and Joy Jackson for stepping up to serve the community, though of course this is not the first time they have taken on this mighty responsibility.
"With the new post office located just off the town centre, and open for longer hours, local people will have even better access than before."
