The Post Office is looking at a late bid for someone else to run a counter service in Port St Mary.

The village’s current sub postmaster is to retire at the end of this month, and no expressions of interest had been received during last month’s ’request for quote’ to find a replacement.

The Post Office said: ’Contrary to rumoured belief, the board of Post Office has always and continues to be committed to providing postal services where it is practical to do so, and where there is willing individuals/businesses to provide these on behalf of the Post Office.’

Now the late interested party has until October 26 to formally apply.

The Post Office said it would also allow any other people to come forward, but stressed that ’there is no guarantee a workable solution can be found at this stage’.

Post Office chairman Julie Edge MHK said: ’There have been many untruths in the media about the Post Office and its board in the past few days which have been disappointing to read.’

She criticised comments by Port St Mary Commissioners and two MHKs, Juan Watterson and Michelle Haywood who claimed they had not been kept informed about the situation.

’We do very much recognise the social value sub post offices provide in communities across the island and where it is viable and there is interest to maintain services, we will endeavour to do this.

’However, the reality is digital ways of transacting our daily business are superseding the need for face-to-face services. Therefore demand and interest in providing these is diminishing and it’s our role to respond accordingly and responsibly in line with our retail modernisation strategy, (which ensures 96% of island residents live within three miles of a postal service access point, with one in each constituency), to this ever-increasing challenge.’