Use it or lose it!

That’s the warning from the Post Office as it announces that Foxdale residents are being given a ’final chance to save the village facility.

Ellan Vannin Fuels has given its resignation as subpostmaster saying diminishing numbers of transactions had resulted in the post office activity losing money for the last three years and to continue to sustain these losses would jeopardise the site operations.

The original notice period was due to close at the end of August but EVF has now agreed to extend the notice period for a further four months.

In a press statement issued by the Post Office, it says: ’The Post Office endeavours to retain and increase the need for customers to use their local post office through the introduction of enhanced and new products and services available over the counter where possible but the old adage of "use it or lose it" has come very much to the fore.’

Post Office statistics show that the average Foxdale resident uses the post office approximately only four times a year and with an adult population of 1,296, they argue that’s not enough usage to make the office financially successful for any sub postmaster.

Phill Downs, of EVF said: ’We have looked at the possibility of continuing to provide the post office function past the communicated closure date to enable the local community to support this service.

’We have worked hard to consider a change to the new store layout which will continue to allow the provision of a post office counter and therefore following discussions with the Post Office, the service will be continued until the end of December.

’During this extended period, the performance of the post office will be closely monitored and this information will then be used to determine whether the service will continue into the New Year.’

Post Office chairman Julie Edge MHK said: ’We welcome EVF’s decision to give customers a further chance to use Foxdale post office more in their daily lives and to continue to accommodate dedicated space in their forthcoming new store layout for this service.

’We, with EVF, will be keeping a close watch on whether the usage of the post office increases during this extended period.

’Post offices are seen as a valuable part of many island communities but the support of their future lies in the hands of residents to use them.’

Foxdale post office will operate 9am to midday, Monday to Saturday.

â?¢ The DoI say that the Foxdale roadworks are due to be completed by Wednesday, August 2.