The Post Office welcomes WHSmith as proposed retail partner for 16 crown branches and announces next step in £70M high street branches investment programme

- £70m investment being made in 300 Crown branches in town and city centres
- Over 40 Crown branches to be modernised by Christmas 2013
- Nine branches already modernised.
- WHSmith confirmed as proposed partner for 16 branches

The Post Office has today announced the next steps of its transformation plans and its proposals to modernise 300 Crown Post Office branches in towns and city centres across the UK, with over 40 being transformed by Christmas. The organisation also confirmed WHSmith as its proposed partner for 16 Crown branches located across England, Scotland and Wales.

By April 2015 the Post Office intends to invest £70m in around 300 branches. The Post Office wants to make it as easy as possible for customers to access its wide range of services. Through its investment the Post Office will offer improved self service areas for mails and retail customers; improved financial services facilities such as private consultation rooms and in some cases extended opening hours to meet the needs of the local community.

The Post Office has been piloting the new style branches in nine Crown branches with feedback confirming that customers welcome the new modern look, improved layouts and service areas.

The plans to turn around its network and reduce reliance on public funding include proposals to franchise 70 Crown branches with suitable retailers. WHSmith has been selected to partner 16 of these branches by April 2014. All branches would offer access to the same range of Post Office services from new more modern outlets with longer opening hours for customers with the majority open seven days a week and located in close proximity to the current site. Each move will be subject to a six week public consultation.

Kevin Gilliland, Network and Sales Director at the Post Office said: “The investment in our Crown network is a significant milestone in our plans to turnaround our business. We are changing the way we do business across our network, introducing new more modern branches and making it as easy as possible for customers to access our services. This is a key part of our long term strategy to ensure we can continue to meet the changing needs of our customers.

“We are already well known for our mails and government services, but we are also growing rapidly in financial services providing customers with a serious alternative to high street banks.

“We are currently in the process of selecting suitable partners for 70 of our high street branches. We want to partner with quality retailers that will maintain and modernise services to communities in locations which are in very close proximity to their current location. We are delighted to confirm WHSmith as our proposed partner for 16 of these branches.”

Improved Customer Service from modernisation of 300 branches

The Post Office has been working closely with its people in developing its modernisation plans for each branch. Work will commence this month to convert these plans into new modern branches. From improved customer service areas to increases in automation the branch teams have had their say in developing new layouts which better meet their customers’ needs.

Gideon Hancock, Branch Manager of Nottingham branch said, “It’s such a fantastic change. Our customers are impressed by the modern feel to the branch and our new self service area has proven to be a hit with our Mails and retail customers. We have also extended our opening hours which is proving very popular. I’ve worked for the Post Office for 25 years and I am really proud to be leading in such a great environment. “

Thousands of branches to be transformed with longer opening hours

This is the next phase of the largest transformation programme in the history of the Post Office which is modernising thousands of its 11,800 branches across the UK.

Over 97 per cent of its network is operated by independent agents and retailers. Over 1000 branches in cities, towns and villages have already been modernised through this programme delivering a total of over 20,000 extra opening hours so far and customer satisfaction levels of over 90%.

About Post Office

The Post Office has an unrivalled national network of around 11,800 branches across the UK, more than all the high street banks combined, and sits at the heart of communities across the country. The Post Office has made a commitment to no more branch closure programmes. It provides around 170 different services and products spanning financial services including savings, insurance, loans, mortgages and credit cards. Post Office also offers Government services; telephony; foreign currency; travel insurance and mail services.

Branches proposed to be operated by WHSmith

WHSmith have been selected as the proposed retail partner for the following Crown Post Office branches. A six week public consultation will take place to gain the views of the local community before any move takes place:

Boston

Cannock

Carmarthen

Hastings

Kidderminster

Kings Heath

Perth

Southport

Stockton on Tees

Sutton Coldfield

Swiss Cottage

Telford

Uckfield

Wallington

West Wickham

Witney