INNERLEITHEN residents are set to lose the town's Post Office following the resignation of the postmaster.

The concession service which operated within the Daymart newsagents in the town ceased on Thursday, February 9, but all is not lost as the Post Office have announced proposals to replace it with a new mobile service.

The Post Office concession previously operated within the Innerleithen newsagents between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays.

The newsagent is not affected by the closure and will continue trading as normal.

Plans have been released to introduce a new one-morning a week service to restore Post Office services to the residents of Broughton and Innerleithen.

The Mobile Outreach Service, whereby a nearby Subpostmaster provides a service at a set time each week, would be operated by the postmaster from Denholm Post Office.

If the plans are given the green light, the Innerleithen mobile service would operate from town's Co-op on Peebles Road, Innerleithen, and would visit the community every Friday between 9.30am and 1pm.

The proposals haven't gone down well with Councillor Graham Garvie, who told the Peeblesshire News: "Innerleithen is a growing town and it is a preposterous suggestion to bring in a mobile service operating only one day a week and this should be re-examined."

If also given the go-ahead, the Broughton mobile service would operate from Broughton Primary School, and would visit the community every week on Friday's between 1.45pm and 2.15pm.

The same range of services will be available, enabling customers to collect benefits in cash using our everyday banking services or Post Office card account.

The Post Office is now inviting customers and interested parties to give their comments on the move in a six week public consultation. 

Kenny Lamont, Post Office Area Manager said: “We are confident that this new service at the heart of the local community will meet customer needs. The introduction of a mobile outreach service presents the best possible solution to allow us to maintain Post Office services in Broughton and Innerleithen in the longer term.”

A public consultation from the Post Office, which starts from today (Friday, February 10), feedback is welcomed on any issues customers would like considered before a final decision is taken on the proposals. 

The consultation will close on Friday, March 24, 2017. 

Submissions can be made during the consultation by Freepost YOUR COMMENTS to Post Office Ltd, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the Customer Helpline on 03457 22 33 44 or Textphone 03457 22 33 55.

Customers can also share views online at postofficeviews.co.uk with the branch code Broughton (13382499) and Innerleithen (19683099).