Harrogate MP to meet Minister about Knaresborough Post Office to ensure better future after last year's 'crisis'
Knaresborough’s postmaster has been praised as the “backbone of the community” by Harrogate’s MP nearly a year after the town nearly lost all its mail services.
It was in June 2024 that Knaresborough Post Office closed suddenly at 49 High Street due to financial difficulties faced by the operating company, leaving customers having to travel out of town for a full Post Office service.
But Andrew Hart, who was already postmaster of both Starbeck Main Post Office and King Edward’s Drive Post Office in Bilton, stepped into the breach.
By September, Mr Hart was running Knaresborough Post Office from a new address at 34 High Street.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon praised his efforts in a question to Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas in Parliament this week about his concerns over Post Office services.
"‘The sudden closure of the Knaresborough Post Office left residents without a critical local service for three months," said Tom Gordon.
"The lack of clear answers or accountability from Post Office officials was frankly unacceptable
"Postmasters like Andrew Hart are the backbone of our communities.
"Their dedication and service often go unrecognised, yet they are absolutely vital to people’s everyday lives.
"They deserve proper support, not silence when things go wrong.”
The Lib Dem MP’s intervention comes in a week which has seen suggestions from the Government that the ownership of the Post Office could be put into the hands of its postmasters in light of the Post Office Horizon Inquiry.
At the time of the crisis over Knaresborough Post Office, Mr Gordon communicated extensively with Post Office officials on the situation.
At the time that he said he found officials to be evasive in their responses.
But Mr Gordon welcomed the Minister’s assurance that governance issues would be addressed through the ongoing Post Office Horizon Inquiry.
He is calling for these concerns to feed into the Green Paper consultation, which aims to shape a financially resilient Post Office network that protects essential services.
The MP has now secured a meeting with the Minister to discuss to avoid a repeat of the problems in Knaresborough.