Post Office shake-up puts 115 branches under threat

Move affecting 1,000 workers is tone deaf’ says union boss

- ALEXANDER BUTLER

More than 100 Post Office branches and some 1,000 jobs are at risk in a sweeping overhaul as the group looks to boost postmaster pay by £250m over five years.

The Post Office revealed it was looking to offload 115 directly owned branches within its 11,500 network, which could see them transferred to retail partners or postmasters, or potentially closed.

Around 1,000 workers are employed across the branches, while the Post Office also confirmed that hundreds of further roles are under threat at its headquarters as it looks to streamline backoffice operations. Post Office chair Nigel Railton said the shakeup will also offer a “new deal for postmasters” by increasing their share of revenue.