Blackfriars Road Post Office to be privatised in March 2018

Post Office Ltd announced last year that it was seeking a franchise partner for the Blackfriars Road branch.

Now the company says that the branch will be taken over by ZCO Ltd from March 2018.

The private operator would sell a wider range of cards, gifts and stationery alongside Post Office services.

The Post Office is asking customers and interested parties to give their comments on the proposal in a six-week public consultation that runs until 15 January 2018.

The same services as currently will continue to be available with the exception of the Biometric Enrolment Service for the Home Office.This service is available at London Bridge Post Office.

Opening hours will be extended to include Saturdays.

"We are making sure we take the right action to sustain services for years to come," said Roger Gale, Post Office Ltd's sales and trade marketing director.

Customers can respond to the consultation at www.postofficeviews.co.uk or by email to: [email protected]

Elsewhere in north Southwark, the former Crown Post Office in Walworth Road transferred to a franchisee this month. The self-service machines have been replaced by a counter selling scented candles.

If the change to the Blackfriars Road branch goes ahead, the London Bridge branch in Borough High Street will be the last remaining Crown Post Office in SE1.

Earlier this year Southwark Council unanimously passed a motion opposing the privatisation of local Post Offices including Blackfriars Road.