Community celebration marks opening of Dawley Post Office
A community celebration has been held today to mark the official opening of Dawley Post Office at a new location.
Local councillors Shaun Davies and Andy Burford ‘cut the ribbon’ with new postmaster Gurj Singh at the branch which is now located at Lifestyle Express Top Shop, 9-10 Burton Street.
The Post Office service has been restored to the community with longer opening hours than before.
Gurj Singh has run Lifestyle Express Top Shop convenience store for the past 11 years. When he heard that the nearby Co-op store, where Dawley Post Office was based, was closing last July, he successfully applied to take on the branch.
Telford & Wrekin councillors Shaun Davies, Andy Burford, Lyndsey Parker, Elise Davies and Ian Preece said:
“We want to thank new Postmaster Gurj Singh for taking on Dawley Post Office which is now open daily with long opening hours, making it easy for the local community to work around their other life and work commitments.
"After a period of time without a Post Office in Dawley we want to help spread the great news that the Post Office is now in a new location with an enthusiastic postmaster and three experienced members of staff who worked at the previous location.”
Adjustments were made to the Lifestyle Express Top Shop store to ensure easy access into and within the shop. There are internal steps within the shop, however, there is level access to the two Post Office counters near the entrance. The convenience store’s tills have moved further along the counter. It offers a wide range of Post Office services.
Postmaster Gurj Singh said:
“The community is really happy that I have taken on the Post Office and it has made their lives easier.
"I am open daily and people can pop in for so many Post Office services including free cash withdrawals, which is great, as there is no free-to-use cash machine in the area. It also saves people going into town to do all their banking.
“My existing customers were delighted that I was adding the Post Office and I now have new customers as well.
"People can pay bills, send parcels, renew their car tax and do home shopping returns here while euros are also available on demand and further currencies can be pre-ordered.
"There are parking bays on the road outside the shop and a large free car park opposite, so it's very easy for people to visit quickly.”
The opening hours are Monday to Saturday: 8am – 7pm; Sunday: 10am - 4pm.
This is 72 hours of Post Office service a week and an extra 19 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service including earlier opening and later closing than before, making it very convenient for customers.
Kulwant Dosanjh, Post Office Network Provision Lead, said:
“We are delighted that Dawley has a Post Office again as we know how important a Post Office is to a community. The opening hours make it very convenient to visit.”
