MACHYNLLETH residents are being urged to make their feelings known about proposals to downgrade the town’s post office this week.
Machynlleth Post Office is being turned into a single counter at the front of town’s Spar store, with reduced services from January 2026, leading to fears of job losses.
A freedom of information (FOI) request filed by one local resident revealed that changes could include paper based and manual transactions; payment by cheque; passport ‘Check & Send’; and on demand travel and insurance services being taken away from the Heol Maengowyn branch.
The proposals to change the post office from a ‘mains’ to a ‘local’ branch have been made jointly by Post Office Ltd and store owners A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd.
A post that appeared on the Machynlleth Community Noticeboard Facebook page on Monday, December 1, informed locals that a manager from Blakemore’s will be attending the post office on Wednesday morning, December 3.
“The Post Office service at Machynlleth will remain open and will transition from a ‘mains’ branch to a ‘local’ branch set-up, operated by A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd,” the Post Office said, in a FOI response posted on social media, and dated November 24.
“All core banking and everyday Post Office services (including, but not limited to, cash deposits, withdrawals, bill payments, and cash orders) will continue to be available at this branch.
“Furthermore, branch opening hours will be significantly extended on Monday to Sunday from 8am to 8pm, thus allowing improved access to our customers.
“Some services may no longer be available after the changes are made, such as: paper based and manual transactions; payment by cheque; passport ‘Check & Send’; and on demand travel and insurance.
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“In line with our principles of community engagement, we will shortly be notifying the local representatives of these changes and posters will be displayed in branch to inform our customers.
“Once further updates are available, you can find them by visiting https://www.postofficeviews.co.uk/.”
The community of Machynlleth has launched a petition against the proposals, amassing nearly 250 signatures to date.
Monday's post on the Machynlleth Community Noticeboard Facebook said: “I'm sure many of you have heard that Mach Post Office is being turned into a single tiny counter at the front of Spar, with reduced staff and services, in January 2026.
“Let's get as many people as possible in the PO queue and protesting inside and outside on Wednesday morning.
“Please make some time to express your objection by standing with the community against this change.”
Local councillors have expressed concern, including Glantwymyn county councillor Elwyn Vaughan, and Machynlleth town councillor Cllr Kim Bryan, who in October took to Facebook and said she’d been informed by the Post Office that there were no plans to close Machynlleth Post Office.
To sign the community’s petition on the future of Machynlleth Post Office, visit https://shorturl.at/SPCF6.
You can view a HTML version of the FOI request, titled ‘Changes at Machynlleth post office’, at https://shorturl.at/4WXEz.
