One in seven people now depend on their local Post Office branch for cash and banking services as per a YouGov survey conducted in 2021 on behalf of Post Office.
In fact, nearly three in 10 small and medium businesses use a Post Office once a week to deposit cash and use mail services.
Gedling Eye caught up with Ketan Barchha, Postmaster of Netherfield Post Office to talk about the survey’s findings.
He said “I’ve been in Netherfield over 11 years and have seen our local banks disappear.
“We are delighted to be able to help so many people, especially the vulnerable members of our communities and we have great customers who come from not just from the Netherfield area but from Carlton, Gedling, Burton Joyce and even further afield”
In a Post Office statement, Nick Read, CEO of Post Office said: “Simply put, post offices, and the dedicated Postmasters and Postmistresses who run them, keep people connected. Connected to the financial system and their cash, to their friends and loved ones, to their customers at home or overseas, and connected to one another in what may, for some, be the only human contact in the day. It is very telling that half of customers believe Post Office fosters a sense of belonging in the community. Post Offices should not be overlooked nor taken for granted.”
The Post Office’s extensive reach means it helps support 4,028 FTE jobs in the East Midlands and sustains nearly 50,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs throughout the United Kingdom.
With high street banks closing daily, post offices are providing vital services to our communities. This includes providing services to those earning less than £20,000 (23%) and those individuals aged 55 and above (20%), where access to cash is more important to these groups.
But it’s not only the important services that our Post Offices provide ,the Post Office also generates an economic impact of £122million, the equivalent of £46 per person across the Midlands.
Post Offices create an additional £223million in local spending in nearby shops and businesses across the East Midlands, and an additional £3.1bn across the UK keeping many high street businesses afloat.
I use Netherfield PO all the time as we don’t have one in Gedling. The boss man there is a legend.
You mean you don’t know about the one on Westdale Lane ?
Does it provide full post office services? Can I bank there? Can I get my Passport done there?
He is a top man so helpful and always cheerful, helped mu Late mum a lot.
this guy is a LEGEND. I needed lots of help with my passport application and he was so helpful, I came when the shop was really busy so he told me to come back after they’d shut for the day to take my picture and help me with the form, and I had to go back a few times as there were other issues but he was so unbelievably helpful, patient and kind. if ever you’ve got any kind of issues with those types of forms, go to netherfield post office!!
Darley Avenue post office is brilliant for everything from stamps to car tax.Sorted my proble.s with the unhelpfull DVLA and with a smile.
Ketan and his lovely staff ,so helpful
Can’t praise them enough
I use this post office ever day for my packages
Always up for a chat and so helpful if you have a problem
Smashing man providing a first rate service to the community. Nothing is too much trouble. The staff are great too. This PO is a critical and integral part of Netherfield. Long may you serve us. Thank you.