Update: 11 April 2016
Post Office services say they have no knowledge of the plans to convert One Stop into a restaurant:
Main article 9 April 2016
Tomorrow (Sunday), the last pints will be pulled at the Church Inn – at least for some weeks. The current management is to leave and staff have lost their jobs. Cedric from the Charlton Arms is to take direct control of the pub. At this stage, there is no news on how long the pub will be closed or what character it will assume when it reopens.
With the Rose and Crown closed for major refurbishment, this leaves us with two pubs with their lights out in the town centre just as the tourist season builds up. The Mayfair breezes in town at the end of the month. I wonder how the wet trade (drinking) will cope with two pubs down and out. And we have lost at least fifty covers (eating) on the food front.
As we wait for these pubs to metamorphose, there is news that the One Stop on Tower Street is expected to close permanently leaving the future of the town centre post office in doubt.
I’ve been anticipating a planning application for the One Stop site for some time. The aim is to demolish the building and replace it by a restaurant and flats. No one will miss this building and we don’t really need the convenience store right next to the Co-op.
The development will need to be in character with Tower Street. This is a street of modest buildings that provides a gentle introduction to the historic landscape of Ludlow town centre.
With the Queens opposite and the French Pantry and Bakers just down the road, could this be our new gourmet quarter – the Thai, Munchies and chip shop included.
I have no information about the future of the post office currently operating from the back of One Stop. It would be unacceptable if we lost our town centre post office. Current customers cannot be expected to walk the One Stop post office at East Hamlet. In any event, that building does not have the capacity to take post office customers for the entire town. It has very limited parking.
Post Office services needs to issue a statement about the future of counter services in Ludlow. We councillors are asking for that statement. I’ll let you know when we know more.
Another consideration is the use of Post Office by visitors. When I knew this town as a visitor I nearly always needed the Post Office at some point during my stay. It all adds up, as with nice pubs handy for the market and centre when you’ve seen all the sights.
Would it be possible for the Coop to incorporate the post office at the back of their store? It is essential that we have a post office in the centre of town.
WH SMITHS have provided a post office in many rural towns Have they been approached?
I did ask the manager at One-Stop directly about this and he assured me that One Stop has just signed a new lease on the premises and that there are no plans for any change currently
Andy, perhaps you can tell us where you acquired this gossip about Ludlow Post Office, and the apparent plans “to demolish the building and replace it by a restaurant and flats.”
And why you were “anticipating a planning application..for some time.”