TG Jones post offices to shut in a third of branches by early 2027 creating 'postal deserts'

Dozens of upcoming post office closures have sparked warnings that communities could be left in “postal deserts”. A total of 70 branches inside TG Jones stores will have shut by early next year, leaving some towns and city centres facing the loss of vital services. The closures affect more than a third of the 180 post offices the chain operated before its restructuring plan was approved in July. Post Office records showed 36 branches had already closed this year, with another 34 due to shut by early 2027. Chain TG Jones, formerly known as WH Smith, was bought and renamed by private equity group Modella last year. To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google then make us your preferred source. Free and easy-to-do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed. Mole Meade, a senior member at the CWU, the largest union for postal workers, warned that some areas would become “postal deserts”. Mole added: “What we are seeing with the TG Jones closures is the continuation of a long-term strategy of cutting costs and chasing profit, with little regard for the communities that depend on post office services. “The CWU believes the Post Office should be focused on protecting and expanding access to services, not presiding over a continued reduction of the network.” For some communities, the closures follow the loss of another nearby branch. Morrisons announced in the summer that 52 post offices inside its Daily convenience stores would shut this year, as part of plans to close 100 loss-making smaller shops. Stevenage, Bracknell and Orpington, along with Hull and York, are each losing two post offices within months. Some of the affected Morrisons Daily branches are close to TG Jones sites also shutting their doors. Many of the branches being lost had taken over from former crown post offices, which were directly run by the Post Office and offered services including passport and identity checks, driving licence transactions and banking. The Post Office is seeking replacement operators, but so far only Stirling has reopened following a TG Jones closure. A permanent replacement in Ipswich is due to open in November, while temporary branches are planned for Maidenhead and Uxbridge. The Post Office said: “We fully recognise the challenging trading conditions that TG Jones and many other high street retailers are facing at the moment. "We proactively sought expressions of interest from our postmasters and partners to take on post offices within TG Jones stores that may close as a result of their restructuring plan or any decisions taken by landlords. There is interest in taking on every location where it has been confirmed that a post office within a TG Jones store will close. In some locations there are over 40 applications from our postmasters who recognise the significant footfall operating a post office brings to their store … "We’re committed to replacing every branch within a TG Jones store that closes and are working to progress applications as quickly as possible.” The losses also threaten businesses that depend on their local counter. In evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into high streets, the Post Office said almost a third of small and medium-sized businesses used a branch at least weekly, while more than half used the network every month. Many businesses warned that losing access could put their survival at risk within months. With more than 6,800 bank branches having closed across the UK, post offices have also become an important place to access banking services. The closures form part of a wider shake-up at TG Jones, with up to 150 of the 450 stores bought by Modella expected to shut. WH Smith shops in airports, railway stations and hospitals were excluded from the sale and remain with the original parent company.