Milnathort post office cash boost

Sep 23 2011 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A GRANT worth £25,000 is set to help Milnathort Post Office enter the online trading age.

The award is part of £1 million being allocated under the Scottish Government’s Post Office Diversification Fund, which helps to support business activities around local post offices.

Milnathort postmaster David Hall plans to invest the cash in a community eBay facility, as well as improvements to the retails side of the set-up and interior and exterior re-fits at the premises.

He said having internet access had become a valuable means of gaining much-needed custom.

“We get a lot of eBay business so for people who don’t have time, or can’t do it, we’ll take items from members of the public and put them on and take a commission,” he explained.

“We need this to survive.”

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire MSP Roseanna Cunningham hailed the award for Milnathort PO – pictured.

“The Scottish Government’s Post Office Diversification fund recognises the important role post offices play in many of our communities and I am delighted that Milnathort’s post office is among this year’s successful applicants and that they have been awarded the maximum award available,” she declared.

“Milnathort Post Office’s allocation from the Fund will mean £25,000 towards their plans to invest in the business and improve the service and facilities for local people.

“This scheme has been warmly welcomed by the National Federation of SubPostmasters and Post Office Ltd and underlines the SNP Government’s commitment to supporting and encouraging small businesses at the heart of local communities.”

The fund, which recognises the vital role that post offices can play in supporting communities, is to award up to £25,000 each to 48 post offices in 24 separate areas.

Post Office Ltd’s managing director Paul Vennells added: “We are delighted that the Scottish Government is continuing to support SubPostmasters through this fund.

This will help subpostmasters in Scotland to diversify and build footfall in their retail businesses, which helps the local economy and viability of their overall business including the post office within it.

“Post Office branches throughout Scotland provide a service recognised by their customers as vital to each community and to the Scottish economy as a whole.”