Post Offices in South Devon at risk of closing

Post Offices in South Devon face potential closures as part of a significant restructuring that could result in approximately 1,000 job losses across the UK.

The Post Office has announced plans to shut down 115 of its directly-operated branches, potentially handing them over to retail partners, local postmasters, or, in some cases, permanently closing them.

Around 1,000 staff members are at risk of redundancy, with further job cuts possible at Post Office headquarters, where efforts to streamline operations are ongoing. In the South Devon two branches are at risk of closure at Paignton and Teignmouth unless they are taken over by independent operators or other companies. Post Office chairman Nigel Railton has proposed a “new deal for postmasters,” designed to increase their share of revenue and give them a stronger voice in business decisions. This initiative is part of the Post Office’s efforts to move beyond the Horizon IT scandal, which led to the wrongful convictions of several subpostmasters. The proposed changes rely on government funding and could lead to a doubling of branch pay by 2030, with an additional £120 million expected to be allocated in the first year.

Mr Railton shared these updates in a speech on Wednesday at the Post Office's London headquarters, addressing postmasters, retail partners, and employees across the country. 

"The Post Office has a 360-year legacy of public service," Railton said, "and today, we want to secure that service for the future by learning from past mistakes. We are committed to restoring pride in working for a company known for service, not scandal." He emphasised that this transformation “marks a new phase of partnership, one that will amplify the postmaster’s role in daily operations and decision-making, from the frontline to the boardroom."

The 115 branches at risk are Crown Post Offices, traditionally located in city centres and staffed by Post Office employees. These branches are the last remaining directly-owned sites, reduced from nearly 400 in 2010. Today, around 2,000 branches are run by major retailers such as WH Smith, Tesco, Morrisons, and the Co-Op, while the majority—approximately 9,000—are managed by independent postmasters across the UK.