An Angus councillor has said the closure of Carnoustie’s Royal Mail delivery office will act as a bitter blow to the town.
Independent councillor Bill Bowles, said he wasn’t entirely surprised by the announcement that the Carnoustie office would be relocating to Royal Mail’s Dundee East depot located on the city’s Ivory Place but confirmation will disappoint many people in the town.
Royal Mail insists the move, scheduled for late spring, will have no impact on the delivery of mail in the area.
The firm also confirmed there would be no job losses as a result.
Citing an “ongoing transformation of its business” as the reason for the decision, Royal Mail claims its hand was, in part, forced by a national decline in people sending letters.
The organisation further described the Carnoustie office as “no longer fit for purpose”.
Despite Royal Mail’s reassurance that services would continue to run smoothly, Mr Bowles feels locals will still see the relocation as a setback.
He said: “We heard it was possibly going to happen, so it’s not a great surprise. The disappointment is that it will inconvenience a lot of people.
“It’s always disappointing when a town loses an amenity.
“People who aren’t at home when their post is delivered will be inconvenienced because they will have to travel to pick up their parcels or recorded delivery letters.
“It is going to be hugely difficult for some people.”
Councillor Brian Boyd added: “I’m bitterly disappointed that this is happening.
The delivery office is part of the community. This is another nail in the coffin of the high street.”
Carnoustie residents will now face a 20-mile round trip to collect undelivered parcels and letters.
Royal Mail insists a plan B is already in place, with local people who are not home when their parcels are delivered being offered the chance to pick up their mail from a temporary delivery point located in the town’s Spar store.
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail aims to continue to provide a consistent and high quality service to our customers in Carnoustie.
“We can now leave many of these items with a neighbour if customers are not at home when we attempt delivery.
“Customers can nominate a dedicated neighbour to take in their parcels by filling in a form at the delivery office.