Truro Post Office closure: the library idea and what happens next

The questions have been piling up since the news broke. Could a mobile van fill the gap? Could the counter move into the library? Truro City Council has now set out the answers it has been given.

The council says it knows how many residents are concerned about the closure of Truro Post Office, which is currently based inside TG Jones on Pydar Street.

Since the closure was announced, Truro City Council says it has been working with Jayne Kirkham MP, Truro BID and Cornwall Council to help find a replacement. It has now shared what the Post Office has told it so far.

Could a mobile Post Office serve Truro?

It looks unlikely. According to the council, the Post Office has advised that the number of parcels handled at the Truro branch, and the space needed to store them, are concerns when considering a mobile service.

For that reason, the council says, a mobile Post Office is unlikely to be an option for the city.

What about Truro Community Library?

Some residents have suggested moving the Post Office into the library. The city council says it raised that option with the Post Office as a temporary measure.

The response was that the expressions of interest process for a replacement service has closed. The Post Office also told the council that location is only part of the issue, because the service needs an operator to manage it.

So no temporary move to the library will be possible.

Who decides?

The council is clear about the limits of its own position. “As a private business, the Post Office makes the decisions about its services,” it said.

“However, there is great public interest in this matter, and Truro City Council has a role in putting forward Truro’s needs and helping to find a solution. That is what we are doing.”

What happens next

The Post Office is now considering the expressions of interest it has received. The council says it will continue to engage with the Post Office “to ensure that a replacement facility is in place as soon as possible”.

“We do understand how important this service is to residents and businesses,” the council added. “We will keep you updated as we have more information to share.”