Sway post office is due to close after new owners purchase shop
SWAY post office is set to close its doors after the new owners have decided not to keep it running.
The announcement about the future of the counter in Sway Newsagents on Station Road was made after it was recently bought from Janet Kirk.
She has chosen to sell up shop so she could semi-retire and focus on her floristry work
Janet said: “I am really sad for the community that the firm who I have sold the premises to doesn’t want it to continue being a post office.
“But I am hopeful it will re-open and operate from somewhere else in the village. It is not a lost cause.”
The closure raised concern from Cllr Stephen Tarling, chair of Sway Parish Council, about how it might affect older villagers.
He said: “Sway post office isn’t the only one to close recently after the Milford and Hordle branches closed down partly because of cuts in government subsidy for post offices.
“We have an elderly population in Sway and many might not have access to a car or be able to drive and it is quite a long way to get to another post office.”
A spokesperson for the Post Office confirmed the outlet will be closed on 21st March at 5.30pm.
She said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused by a temporary closure of Sway post office.
“We understand how important a post office is to a community and we would like to reassure customers that we are working hard to try restore a post office in that area.
“We have recently had interest from a local business and we will explore that opportunity.”
The spokesperson also confirmed that the postmaster at Lymington post office is looking to relocate from the current premises at 54 High Street to Rashley Mews.
She added: “We will soon be announcing plans to relocate Lymington post office. We are currently finalising the proposal.”
Alternative branches to Sway are at Ferndale Road in Ashley, as well as in Pennington, Bashley, Everton and Brockenhurst.
Any retailers or small business owners interested in opening a post office and incorporating it into their business should email NTquestions@postoffice.co.uk
