MINEHEAD is to lose both its present main post office and town centre Co-operative supermarket in a shock move which was this week described as a ‘bolt from the blue’.

Currently, Minehead post office is located in the Co-op’s Avenue supermarket, which was built in 1984 on the site of what was previously the town’s bus station.

But this week, in a letter to the town council, the supermarket chain announced proposals to demolish the building and redevelop the site with retirement homes and a convenience store.

Co-Op staff were given the bombshell news on Tuesday and the post office has been given 12 months’ notice of contract termination.

Even if there is room for a post office in the new store a spokesman said there would be a considerable time-lag between the demolition of the old premises and the construction of the new buildings, and the post office had to start planning now to maintain a presence in Minehead once its present home disappeared.

Town councillor Toni Bloomfield, chairman of the amenities and environment committee, said the closure of the only central supermarket would be a great loss to the town. She said: “It will affect a lot of people, particularly the elderly, who come into town to get their pensions and then do their shopping in the Co-op.

“Now the nearest supermarkets with a full range of goods will be on the edge of town and elderly people without cars will be dependent on infrequent buses to get there.”

Local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said the ability to conduct postal business over the counter was still an essential for many local people, particularly the elderly. And the post office should start making arrangements to ensure their services would continue to be provided in the town.

“Minehead people cannot be left reliant on the sub-post office at Alcombe, which only has two serving positions, both shared with a shop,” he said.

“The truth is that while the Post Office, like the banks, would much prefer us to conduct all our business online there are some things - such as the simple posting of a parcel - that still require physical attendance at a post office counter.

“And in an area with one of the highest proportions of pensioners in the country a lot of people still do not use the internet.

“Pinning down the Post Office to keep it providing counter services has been particularly challenging in other places, but I shall be taking up the developing situation in Minehead with the Minister to make sure that in the coming upheaval local people will still be able to access the full range of postal services.”

“This has come like a bolt out of the blue,” said Graham Sizer, chair of Minehead Business Improvement District (BID). “It is essential that we find another place for a post office counter and all the ancillary services it provides. 

“For groceries, we are well served by our out-of-town stores, but the Co-op does provide a town centre base for pedestrians to buy many products not catered for in our other town centre convenience shops.  

“Retail moves through phases and Covid has perhaps accelerated how changes manifest themselves. Minehead has proved its resilience in the past. We have one of the lowest vacancy rates in the south-west and I’m sure it will show its resourcefulness if this goes ahead.”