‘Use it or lose it,’ says Greens Norton Parish Council as Post Office and village store faces closure

The Greens Norton community Facebook group had drawn attention to the news of the struggling Post Office in November 2022 and said: “Losing our local shop and post office is going to be devastating for a lot of people who rely on them as they are not able to get to Towcester. The bus service is awful. It’s a shame we can’t do something to help it stay open. The electricity and gas costs were the final nail,” and “Any chance the parish council could help these good people, Hitish and his family, as they have given great service to the village?”

The news of the financial issues with the Post Office and local stores was first discussed at the Greens Norton Parish Council (GNPC) meeting in November 2023 where residents were issued with a ‘use it or it lose it’ statement and the council agreeing to promote the Post Office as much as possible.

An update from a representative from GNPC following this meeting said: “I’ve been to see them and am told that they can manage until February/March but in these three months, they need help to remain open. We will make sure there is an agenda item on GNPC’s next meeting on Tuesday January 3. In the meantime as many have said, we need to ‘use it or lose it’. Spread the word to all your friends as other villages also rely on this Post Office and shop.”

The GNPC meeting in January was attended by a representative from the local shop and Post Office and supported by two members of the public. They explained the current financial position updating on the background and action being taken along with investigation being made into possible grant funding. Details of alleged help for small businesses in other villages by the council was noted and would be followed up. The council agreed it would continue to promote use of the shop through available channels.

With still with no changes to the risk of the business closing, residents have now taken it upon themselves to create a GoFundMe page to try and raise money to help, and have said: “Our Post Office and Village Stores need to remain a valued asset and resource for our wonderful community. It provides so much to us and the villages beyond. However, with the rising electricity costs which are well publicised, no business can continue to be a going concern in the long term.

“A team of knowledgeable residents are keen to lead and provide help, support and advice, but we need the crucial funding that this page is hoping to raise, to make these initiatives happen.

“The business needs to become more sustainable and reduce the ever-growing and unaffordable costs that it is currently facing.

“There is considerable interest in the community to ensure that sustainable solutions can be implemented at the shop and Post Office and in the future to other businesses in the village.”