Town centre's only surviving PO runs out of money

Nov 19 2008 by Charlie Rowney, Wishaw Press

PENSIONERS and single parents were left short after Wishaw town centre’s last remaining Post Office ran out of cash and couldn’t hand out benefits.

An influx of extra customers – some of whom would have drawn their pensions or collected their benefits from one of the three recently axed branches – saw the Main Street branch run out of money last week.

The branch, located within the Spar shop, ran out of funds last Tuesday and could not serve customers again until the next afternoon.

Even customers who just wanted to buy stamps or send mail say they were told they would have to come back.

Post Office Ltd have blamed the cash crisis on a high level of customers claiming their Winter Fuel Benefits, but readers have raised concerns that last week’s debacle was made worse by the fact that so many more customers are forced to use the Main Street branch after branches at West Cross, Waterloo and Cambusnethan were axed just weeks ago.

Netherton, Overtown and Main Street were three of only a few branches to escape the latest round of Post Office closures.

One reader, Ian Craig (47), said his mother was affected, and blasted: “My 72-year-old mother lives in a nursing home. Luckily she had enough to get back but whilst talking to some of the residents, she found others didn’t have a penny.

“She would have been able to go to the branch in West Cross had they not closed that down.

“This is absolutely ridiculous. Why are the Post Office closing branches if these other branches cannot cope with the amount of customers?

“My mother had to get the bus back home without her pension. Luckily, I have a car and can take her to a different Post Office but some people don’t have that luxury.

“People rely on their pensions and benefits, so to be told they’re not getting their money when they need it is ridiculous!”

Motherwell & Wishaw MP Frank Roy was furious to hear pensioners and benefits claimants were left short, saying: “This is totally ridiculous. For a Post Office to run out of money is just total mismanagement.

“The Post Office know how many customers they have and they were well aware of the Winter Fuel Benefits.

“I have spoken with the Director of Scottish Affairs for Post Office Ltd and will follow that up with a strongly worded letter, demanding an investigation into how this was allowed to happen.”

A Post Office Ltd Spokesperson said: “Due to an unexpected high level of demand from customers wanting their winter fuel benefit, Wishaw Post Office had unfortunately ran short of cash on Tuesday afternoon. Normal service resumed at lunchtime Wednesday and Post Office Ltd would like to apologise to customers.”