Post Office set to leave Budgens in Porton next month

Budgens, at 34 Winterslow Road in Porton, confirmed that it would be getting rid of its Post Office on February 8 as its owners handed in their notice.

This closure means the nearest physical Post Office for Porton residents travelling by bus would be either Salisbury or Amesbury as the one in the Winterbournes closed some time ago.

Winterslow Post Office remains open and is roughly 15 minutes away by car.

Budgens manager Becky Whitmarsh reassured customers that the family-run business will not be closing, just the Post Office, and that they have "no plans on selling up shop".

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A sign posted in Budgens written by the 'Hobbs Family' said the decision to close the post office counter is "with regret" as it has been part of the shop for more than 40 years.

It read: "Many transactions are now carried out online such as taxing cars, travel money, mail, NS&I savings and insurance.

"With the rise of online shopping, many other parcel carriers have become mainstream and slowly but steadily the Post Office has seen a decrease in traditional transactions leading up to now."

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The family said the decision "has not been taken lightly" but it has been on their minds for a "number of years".

"It has reached the point where the Post Office is no longer viable," they added.

Kirsty Exton, chairman of Idmiston Parish Council, said the closure will spell a "big problem" for villagers who don't have access to a car.

She said: "It will affect them really badly. There's quite an elderly population in these villages and there is only a bus to Salisbury every hour.

"A lot of people depend on it and it will be sadly missed. I just feel sorry for people who don't have a car and have to rely on the local bus service."

The shop counter will still be accepting Amazon and UPS parcels after the Post Office closes on February 8.