Withernsea’s post sorting office is set to close next year.
Royal Mail has confirmed the Withernsea Special Postal Delivery Office (SPDO) in Queen Street will close in March 2025, with the service transferring to Hull.
The company says the closure relates to the site’s lack of facilities for postmen, including no running water or toilet facilities. As part of the closure, all sorting facilities will be moved to the Royal Mail’s purpose-built facility in Harpings Road, Hull. Royal Mail says this will help improve sorting procedures and streamline services. The move will not affect Queen Street Post Office next door, which will remain open.
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We can confirm we are planning to move the sorting office at our SPDO in Withernsea to our dedicated delivery office in Harpings Road, Hull, with the move expected to occur in March 2025.
“Relocating to a larger, dedicated delivery office will provide better facilities for our posties and help us provide a better service. Deliveries will continue as normal, with any items that cannot be delivered on the first attempt scheduled for automatic redelivery the next working day.”
Withernsea postmen fear the move could impact their jobs by reducing hours or adding additional duties such as daily round trips to Hull to collect the mail. Posties also say that the move would affect those without a driver’s licence, and extra provisions will have to be put in place. They also say the move does not take into account Withernsea’s expansion and increasing population.
A long-serving Withernsea postman said: “This decision is frankly bewildering – it makes no sense whatsoever. It extends our working day at the expense of productivity, for we will be spending time travelling to Hull – time when presently we’re sorting mail – and then we’ll have to travel back.
“Mail sorting will be later, and so delivery will also be later, so the service to the customer is going to suffer. It’s a decision that was made in London, with no regard or understanding of the needs of rural communities.
“Royal Mail is facing competition from other companies, eating into its business. If this is an example of changes to their business model to address the future, then they are really shooting themselves in the foot.”
While Royal Mail has confirmed the closure of the SPDO, services at the neighbouring Queen Street Post Office will remain unaffected, and people receiving parcels will not be affected.
The Post Office said that after a second delivery attempt, Royal Mail will leave a P739 “Something for You” card with the customer, who can choose to arrange redelivery, have the item taken to a post office via the Local Collect service, or collect the item from the Hull Central Royal Mail Delivery Office in St Peter Street, Hull.
A Post Office spokesman said: “Royal Mail has decided to relocate the sorting office currently based alongside Queen Street Post Office, Withernsea, from March 29.
“Queen Street Post Office will remain open, and we are working with the operator to limit the financial implications of this Royal Mail relocation. The Post Office area manager is supporting the operator to grow the business and soon will review whether there are opportunities for operational business efficiencies.”
Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart said he had sought reassurances on behalf of staff and customers. He said: “As soon as I heard about this, I contacted Royal Mail to hear what they have to say.
“My primary concern is that the sub-postmaster and postmen are done right by Royal Mail, and that Withernsea residents continue to get the standard of service from Royal Mail that they deserve. In terms of customers, no final decision has been made, but the option to deliver parcels to the post office will remain. I have been given reassurances that the post will be delivered as usual.”