Gorse Hill Co-op and Post Office closes for good

In April, Midcounties Co-operative, which owns the store, confirmed the closure stating that the local branch did not '"fit with the long-term strategy."

Because the Co-op was shutting up shop, this also meant that the Post Office located within it was also being forced to close by the decision.

Although the retailer did say it would work with Post Office to find a new local home for the vital public service.

But on Friday that closure came to fruition when the shutters came down on the Cricklade Road store for the last time, leaving a massive hole in terms of local amenities for the community. 

The important community store is now shut (Image: Newsquest)

The initial closure announcement from the firm back in April said: "The Midcounties Co-operative regularly reviews its property footprint to ensure that it is providing the best opportunity to deliver for its members and continue to support the communities in which it operates.

"As a result of this process, the Gorse Hill store was identified as not fitting with the long-term strategy of the Society and the Midcounties Board has therefore made the difficult decision to plan to close the store. It is expected that the store will close in approximately six months’ time.

"We will also work with Post Office Ltd to look for an alternative site for the Post Office currently located within the Gorse Hill store," the company confirmed. 

This earmarked the store for closure in October, but it closed a few weeks earlier than expected. 

The store employed 16 members of staff who entered into consultation with the company earlier this year and will either now be working elsewhere or looking for new employment. 

On August 23, Post Office provided an update on the search for a new home and revealed that things were heading in a positive direction 

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We know how important a Post Office is to a community. The vacancy has been advertised on www.runapostoffice.co.uk 

"We have an interested retailer. We hope to announce further details soon. We are working hard to provide a replacement Post Office as soon as possible.

"In the interim, alternative Post Offices will include Clive Parade and Queens Drive.”

But while residents who relied on the Gorse Hill Co-op for its shopping and banking facilities wait for a more solid update from the Post Office, they have bemoaned the store's closure 

One said: "Gorse Hill will feel extremely empty without it."