Hospitality group offers lifeline for Fife town Post Office branch facing closure

The current facility in TJ Jones’ South Street shop - formerly WHSmith - is expected to shut in January as a result of a restructure by its operator, Modella Capital.

Now the Scotsman Hospitality, the group behind town venues including Forgan's, Mitchell's and The Bothy, has approached the Post Office with an offer to host the town's main branch at SPACE St Andrews, its redeveloped campus on the former Kilrymont High School site.

Discussions are at an early stage and the group and the Post Office representatives are expected to meet soon to discuss.

The Post Office has said that securing a replacement branch can take around six months, raising the prospect of residents, local businesses and students facing an extended period with only a smaller branch on Woodburn Terrace to rely on.

Scotsman Hospitality has offered SPACE either on a long-term basis or as an interim solution while a permanent site is secured, with the aim of keeping full Post Office services in St Andrews and avoiding any gap in provision for the community.

The company said the site was ideal. It has free parking, full disabled access and a bus stop directly outside, and sits around a 15-minute walk from the town centre. The development is already home to a convenience store, coffee shop and all day restaurant.

It also has SALT, a functional fitness gym operated by local residents, which relocated following the closure of the Hyrox facilities in town.

Scotsman Hospitality already hosts Post Office branches in four of its shops, including in Castlemilk and Carmunnock in Glasgow.

Paul Stirling, retail director, said: "A Post Office is so much more than a counter. In Castlemilk and Carmunnock we've seen firsthand what it means to a community to keep one open – older residents collecting their pensions, small businesses banking their takings, families sending parcels to loved ones, and people simply getting help with everyday things that matter. It's a place where people know your name.

“When a branch disappears, it's often those who can least easily travel who feel it most. Scotland has already lost almost a third of its Post Offices this century, and we don't want St Andrews to become another statistic.

“This town has given a great deal to our business, and we want to give something back. We have the space, the experience and the commitment to make this work, and we're ready to move as quickly as Post Office needs us to – whether that's a temporary home or a permanent one."

The closure threat hanging over the current Post Office branch has sparked concern among local politicians.

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, said: “St Andrews relies on its Post Office services not only for sending post, but also for access to cash and it is particularly important for those who may struggle to access services online or travel elsewhere. I will continue to engage with the Post Office and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the community's needs are properly represented throughout this process."

Councillor Jane Ann Liston added: “This (closure) news is appalling. St Andrews is not just any old place; it is the fourth biggest settlement in Fife, a university town and a key tourism destination.

“For such a place to lose its post-office is unthinkable. For instance, how many times have we been assured that losing a bank branch doesn't really matter because the local post office will provide banking services?

“When T.G. Jones first announced closures of its stores and concerns were raised about the provision of post office services the Post Office reassured us that should that come to pass in St Andrews, there were contingency plans in place. It is now time for the Post Office to reveal exactly what those plans are and to implement them.”