NEWS WELCOMED BY POLITICIAN BEHIND PETITION THAT ATTRACTED MORE THAN 1,600 SIGNATURES

A PROSPECTIVE franchisee has been found to run a Post Office under threat of closure.

- By DALE SPRIDGEON

Fears had been raised that the loss of the Castle Square branch in Caernarfon could be the "final nail in the coffin" for the town centre.

The branch is one of 115 sites across the UK put under threat of closure by the Post Office at the end of last year.

Caernarfon was one of the last sites directly owned by the Post Office, known as a "Crown" branch.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville-Roberts had campaigned with other local politicians to maintain over-the-counter services.

She had presented a 1,633-name petition to Post Office chairman Nigel Railton in Westminster.

It had been jointly created by Arfon MS Sian Gwenllian, Gwynedd Councillor Cai Larsen and North Wales MS Llyr Gruffydd.

Now, Ms Saville-Roberts says she has received correspondence from the Post Office stating the branch will be operated by the franchisee RF Retail, under Richard Fleetwood, of the same premises "until long-term arrangements can be made".

Jack Foden, the Post Office's head of public affairs and policy, said they would be "working with RF Retail over the remainder of the financial year".

This was to give time to "review the right long-term premises for the branch which could be at either an existing site or a new site nearby".