Staff at a Co-op store set for closure in just a few weeks admit they 'don't know' what will happen to the post office service attached to the store.
The Midcounties Co-op store on Cricklade Road shows no signs of closing from the outside, but a spokesperson for the head office has confirmed the supermarket will close in a matter of weeks.
Midcounties Co-op (which is run separately from regular Co-op stores) had made no formal announcement, but when approached by the Adver they said: "The store is no longer fit with the long-term strategy."
The supermarket is now set to close permanently on April 21 and the site has already been bought by an independent retailer.
According to Co-op Midcounties' head office, all 10 staff members at the Crossways store on Cricklade Road will be offered the opportunity to transfer over to the new operator if they wish to.
But staff working at the store have confirmed that they "just don't know" what will happen to the Post Office counter inside.
"We have no idea what's going to happen with the post office," one member of staff told the Adver.
"To be honest with you we've been told nothing. There's been hardly any communication with staff about the whole thing."
If the Post Office counter closes along with the Co-op, then locals will have to walk a further 15 minutes north to the nearest post office in Penhill, or 15 minutes north-east to the counter in Klosters.
In a statement about the closure, Midcounties Co-operative's head office explained:
"The Midcounties Co-operative Board regularly reviews our property footprint to ensure we’re providing the best opportunity to deliver for our members and support local communities across the Midcounties region.
"As part of this work, it was identified that the Crossways Store no longer fit with the long-term strategy of the Society and the site was placed on the market.
"We have now exchanged on a sale of the site to an independent retailer who will continue to operate a food retail store on the site."
However, no mention was made of the Post Office counter.
The new owners of the current Co-op store are set to begin trading shortly after the closure of Co-op on April 21.
The Midcounties Co-op and the Post Office have now been contacted by the Adver for further clarification about the future of the post office counter on Cricklade Road.
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