UOE STORE named as proposed new location for Main East Finchley Post Office

A six-week consulation (13/11/13 – 6/1/14) is currently underway for the proposed new location of East Finchley Post Office to UOE’s retail operation in East Finchley which trades under the name “The UOE Store”.

The move is part of a major modernisation programme across the Post Office network designed to ensure Post Office branches are sustainable, profitable and no longer reliant on Government funding. The modernisation programme will make it easier for customers to do business, through longer opening hours and modern, open-plan environments. East Finchley Post Office is currently one of around 370 Crown branches directly owned by Post Office Ltd.

The Post Office’s priority is to ensure that it can provide the services that will meet customer needs, both now and into the future, and secure the long-term viability of the organisation and the network.

There will be no compulsory redundancies as a result of the proposed move of East Finchley Post Office. Post Office Ltd will be working closely with their people to ensure their needs are met whether that is a transfer to the new employer or redeployment in the Post Office. (All staff have the legal right to transfer to the potential new operator if they wish under TUPE legislation)

Roger Gale, Crown Network General Manager, said: “We are committed to keeping a Post Office branch in East Finchley and to maintaining the same levels of service for our customers. We believe the best way for us to do this is to change the way we operate it, so if the move goes ahead it will be run by Universal Office Equipment (UK) Ltd rather than by us directly.”

Elliot Jacobs, Managing Director of UOE said: “UOE has been on the high-street in East Finchley for over 30 years and we know that the Post Office is a vital part of the community. We look forward to the outcome of the consultation and the opportunity it gives us to extend opening hours and enhance the already excellent service provided by both UOE and the Post Office on a 7 days a week basis”.

Subject to public consultation, the UOE Store would undergo a major refit, doubling the retail floor space (as well as adding automatic door entry, ramped access and low-level serving counters) and providing the new East Finchley Post Office with five serving positions. These would be a mixture of one screened and three open-plan counters, and a Post Office serving point at the retail counter, available during shop retail hours.

Branch opening hours at the proposed new location would be 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Saturday (five hours more than are offered at the current branch).
Post Office services would also be available throughout UOE’s extended opening times from 08:30 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30 on Saturdays and 12:00 to 16:00 on Sundays.
This means Post Office services would be available for 60 hours a week – 14 and a half more than currently offered.

The Post Office also commented: “UOE… have demonstrated that they will be able to successfully run the branch in East Finchley, delivering excellent standards of customer service, with trained staff promoting products and services in a modern environment, over extended opening hours.”

The Post Office will host a customer forum on the proposed move at a convenient location over the coming weeks, with details soon to be confirmed. This will function as a drop-in information session, with all concerned parties encouraged to attend.

The intention of the forum is to inform customers of the details of the proposal to move East Finchley Post Office from its current location and to give more information on the potential new service.

During the public consultation, Post Office Ltd welcomes feedback on issues such as the location, the proposed premises, accessibility, or community issues that customers would like considered before a final decision is taken on this proposal. The consultation will close on 06 January 2014 and the proposed month of move is February 2014.

Submissions can be made during the consultation through our online questionnaire at postofficeviews.co.uk, by FREEPOST Your Comments to Post Office Ltd, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the Customer Helpline on 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55.

Customers are asked to quote branch code 003004 in all communication.