A RESPONSE from the Post Office following the sudden closure of a North Yorkshire store has been met with criticism.

Costcutter in Helmsley, which also offered essential Post Office services, closed last month (August 2022) without prior warning or information given to the public or staff.

Staff were informed of the closure via text message on a Sunday evening, informing them that the Post Office would not open its doors in the morning.

In an email sent to Helmsley Town Council providing an update on the situation, a spokesperson for the Post Office said: "I appreciate the situation in Helmsley is extremely frustrating for the residents and appreciate the inconvenience caused by the delay in returning services to the area.

“I can assure you that we continue to work very hard to resolve this matter and we remain focussed on our efforts to reopen the branch at the former location as soon as we are able.

“As you are aware, the reopening has been delayed due to influences outside our control as we do not own the premises.

“At this stage, I’m afraid we do not have capacity to provide a weekly service via an outreach solution, however, we will revisit alternative options should our preferred solution to reopen the branch at the former location not come to fruition.

“I will update you as soon as I have any further information.”

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, said: "It is absolutely wrong that a busy market town like Helmsley is left without a bank or a post office, particularly when for many local people it is their only way of accessing vital services.

"The Post Office must urgently put a temporary solution in place whilst the legal issues at the Costcutter are resolved and will continue to press for this."

Helmsley’s County Councillor, George Jabbour, said: “I am extremely disappointed with the continuous delays in re-opening the Post Office in Helmsley.

“I also know that so many residents are enormously frustrated with the lack of Post Office services in our town.

“I believe that we as a community must communicate the level of anger that we feel in relation to this issue in the hope that both Costcutter and the Post Office move faster in dealing with this pressing matter.”

Mr Jabbour has invited residents to join him outside the Post Office in Helmsley at 2pm today (September 29).

He urged residents to “show that we disapprove of the way the whole Post Office saga has been handled and how important it is for us that service resumes immediately.”