Plans to convert Wybunbury Post Office and General Store back into two houses have been refused despite the owners arguing the business has become unsustainable, writes Belinda Ryan.
The current owners purchased the post office and general store in 2012.
Since then, following changes in policy and modernisation implemented by the Post Office, they say the business has lost significant income, including counter rental and the postmaster’s basic salary.
David Mountfield applied to Cheshire East Council at the beginning of this year for permission to convert the property at 37-39 Main Road back into two separate houses.
But that application was refused by an officer under delegated authority.
A planning document, submitted on behalf of the applicant, had stated: “The Post Office contributes nothing to the cost of running the post office.”
It said the removal of various services such as pension payments, premium bonds and other DWP payments over the counter had hit the business hard as had the fact people no longer used the postal service as much because they could now buy their postage online at a cheaper rate and could also arrange parcel collection direct from their doorstep.
“Subsequently the income from the post office has massively reduced,” stated the document.
“The general store sells a wide variety of typical ‘shop’ items to help subsidise the turnover, which has significantly reduced over the past number of years.
“There has been a well-documented reduction in footfall to shops due to ease of online shopping and the growing number of supermarkets doing home deliveries.
“The increase in the cost of living and energy costs has seen any form of profit significantly reduced and the post office and general store has become unsustainable.”
The application was refused by Cheshire East Council on the grounds insufficient information was submitted to justify the loss of the community facility, with no alternative provision put forward.
It was also refused because the proposed development would cause loss of daylight and sunlight to at the neighbouring property and because it would appear overly prominent and visually intrusive in the conservation area.
(Image by Google Maps)
I have always said it, businesses have to adapt and change to reflect the times we live in. I have a weekly food delivery, but there is a huge gap in buying fresh food that I would not include on my weekly delivery as supermarkets sell tasteless meat, veg and cheese I find. So I would love a local delivery of those items, there used to be a van that arrived in my village every week and parked at the pub, in Scotland you never see that idea anywhere now but it would be great if someone were to do this from an actual shop rather than a van, also in Scotland a village shop would be sectioned off for other businesses to run, such as a baker with a cafe cakes and coffee, an ironing and laundry section you could take your laundry to. Plus a complete wall where trades could rent space to advertise their businesses, not just cards but actual photos of local properties such as plumbers electricians, decorators, gardeners, diy etc. In fact our decorator Jim, never worked outside the village ever, not for the 20years I lived there, he was constantly busy with locals, he didn’t even have a van he had a cart 🤣
Gosh this sounds worrying, if a business cannot make it pay, then who are Cheshire East to say the owners cannot decide to close their business and pursue another option, sounds very high handed and probably illegal
Yes shops are closing as modernisation and the change in shopping habits lerpwtuatedmx across the nation. But sometime, you just need an actual post office. I use Wybunbury all the time and mostly when I go, there’s a queue. Maybe we could think progressively about the shop and how it can continue to provide a valued service in the village.
I meant Cheshire East employees and planning officers
If it’s such a great community asset how many of the Cheshire East shop there? I bet none. It’s a shame that facilities are lost but the rise of remote internet shopping and post office issues have caused this. Indeed the council itself wants everything done on line from carparking upwards and add to that a cashless society is just around the corner then not just this shop but others will close.