THE SUBPOSTMASTER - JUNE ISSUE

Main branches also tend
to have a higher cash
throughput and therefore
have greater security
requirements.
Main branches will also
often be located in city or
town centre locations
where rent and rates costs
tend to be higher.
They are also expected
to deal with a
wider variety
of products
that require
a greater
level of
training.
We do
review the
differences in
remuneration
rates as part of our
“Use of the
term ‘franchise’
is misleading
when applied to
postmaster
contracts”
annual strategic
remuneration review and
will continue to do so.
MEMBERS’ EDITOR
REPLIES
Thanks to Zafar
Rushnaiwala for raising
the age-old question
about the remuneration
differences between Main
and Local post
offices, and to
Paul Liddiard for
his
explanation.
This
question is
often raised in
meetings with
both PO and the
NFSP but rarely
have I seen it explained
in print. I have to declare
an interest here – I own a
Main office – and
appreciate Paul’s
rationale, though I don’t
necessarily accept all of it.
I would point out that I,
like I think all independent
postmasters, have an
agency not a franchise
agreement with PO. The
use of the term ‘franchise’
is misleading when
applied to postmaster
contracts.
Yes, Main offices tend to
be self-contained post
offices with a basic retail
offering, usually cards,
gifts, and
stationery. They
are situated
on high
streets
which
attract high
rents and
business rates
and being
predominantly in
urban areas, need to
pay higher wages to
attract and retain staff.
Historically, many have
replaced Directly
Managed or Crown offices.
Local post offices on the
other hand tend to be
co-located as a category
in a convenience store
where they compete for
space with the groceries,
the off-licence, and other
offerings.
Whether a Main or Local
post office branch or other
model, to earn their place
in a local village
“More
remuneration is
needed to ensure
the survival of
all post
offices”
convenience store or on a
busy high street the
message to PO and the
Government must be that
more remuneration is
needed to ensure the
survival of all post offices,
whatever the model.
Readers of The
SubPostmaster magazine
might like to write in to
offer their take on the
various models of post
office that PO are
including in their statistics
in the quest to maintain a
network of 11,500 offices.
We look forward to
hearing from you.
On a personal
note, I am
moving on
after being
Members’
Editor since
2015 and
occasional
contributor for
over three
years. I am leaving
you in the excellent
hands of Tim Allen and
Jon Bumphrey, who were
elected at the recent AGM/
Annual Conference.
Tim and Jon will be
sharing this role in the
coming months, and I am
sure they will offer a fresh
perspective on your letters
in the future. Many thanks
to all who have written in
over the last nine years. It’s
been interesting reading
them and PO’s replies.
Last but not least, please
keep sending those letters
and emails.
The members’ editors would welcome your letters,
e-mails or messages. You can contact us by post or
email.
Send a letter to:
SubPostmaster Magazine Letters
Evelyn House
22 Windlesham Gardens
Shoreham-by-Sea
BN43 5AZ
Tel: 01273 452324
e-mail: thesubpostmaster@nfsp.org.uk
June 2024 The SubPostmaster 31