Farewell to Longpool post office

Customers and staff said a fond farewell to Longpool Post Office – which has been the ‘centre’ of life on Wildman Street for the past 80 years.

The branch is one of 35 being closed in Cumbria as part of Post Office Ltd’s Network Change programme.

Sub postmistress Hilary Knaggs hosted a party at the Riverside Hotel in the town on Monday to say thank you to all her customers for their help and support during the past six years.

Among the locals marking the closure was 84-year-old Peggy Yarnold, who used the post office for 78 years. She was handed a certificate and basket of flowers for being the longest-serving customer at the post office.

She told the Gazette that it was the “centre” of the community and that it was the “last business remaining on the street from the early days”.

“I will be sad to see it go. I moved into the street in 1930 and I remember going there to spend the Saturday penny I had been given. Then you could do all the shopping you needed on the street. Everyone used it and it was the centre of the community.

“In the latter years I have used the post office all the time to get my pension and now it will make it very difficult for me to get my pension,” added Mrs Yarnold.

Mrs Knaggs said: “I will miss the customers, they have been brilliant and supported me no end during the consultation. Lots of people used to drop in for a chat - it was a place where people met but now that will all end.”

She said that she had been touched by the supported and added that she had received a letter from the local branch of the Women’s Institute, which stated that the post office had been the place that helped them with the stresses of the day.

Retired Kendalian Peter Wright said: “It is an important place and it plays a big part in the local community but now that will be lost and instead people will have to make the journey to Sandylands Post Office, which will be difficult for some of the elderly.

“It will be missed by many people,” he added.