Following a public consultation and review, it has been confirmed that Raglan Post Office will relocate from the High Street, Raglan, Usk to a new location at the nearby Gulf Garage.

The move will establish the Post Office as a local-style branch within the Gulf Garage, ensures the community will continue to have access to postal services.

The Post Office has extended its gratitude to members of the community who took part in the consultation process saying the feedback received was invaluable and provided a view of customer preferences and needs which was carefully considered, alongside other relevant factors, in making the final decision to relocate.

The Post Office assures customers that the new location will maintain the same high level of service and accessibility. The move to Gulf Garage is intended to secure the long-term viability of Post Office services in Raglan and the surrounding areas.

One of the considerable benefits of the relocation is the longer operational hours, which have been changed to between 8am to 7pm on Monday to Saturday (Sunday closed), instead of the current 9am to 12.45pm and 2-5pm Monday to Friday and morning openings on Saturdays. 

The current Post Office branch will close at 12:30 pm on Saturday, October 5, 2024, and the new branch at Gulf Garage will open at 1 pm on Monday, October 7, 2024. In the event of any unforeseen circumstances causing changes to these dates, customers will be informed via posters displayed in the current branch.

During the transition period, customers are encouraged to use any convenient Post Office service. For those in need of an alternative location, the Usk Post Office at 35 Maryport Street, Usk, NP15 1AE is available.

Prior to the decision, there were concerns within the community about the potential closure of the Post Office.

In June 2024, an anonymous Facebook user highlighted the importance of participating in the consultation, stating: “I’ve been told by various people in the postal service that not enough people are responding to the consultation. Apparently, if public support for the new location is insufficient, the result could be that the Post Office will cease to exist in Raglan altogether.

“So many Post Office counters are closing, it would be a real shame if we lost another one in the area. The Usk PO is only open 2.5 days per week so Raglan is a very useful resource. Please support the Post Office relocation by submitting your views if you want Raglan to retain the Post Office.”

Further information regarding the move and customer options can be found on the Post Office Consultation Hub at postofficeviews.co.uk.

The Post Office looks forward to continuing to serve the community from its new location at Gulf Garage and thanks everyone for their understanding and support during this transition.

The Raglan moves continues the tradition of finding innovative Post Office solutions in the county, with Monmouthshire County Council believed to have become the first local authority in the UK to take on the running of a post office when Usk Post Office moved into the Usk Community Hub after the town’s branch announced it would be closing in 2019.

A post office counter was installed in the hub after plans were drawn for the relocation after the retirement of the postmistress at the former facility in Bridge Street left the branch facing closure.