Concerns over subpostmasters’ pay continue to impact the network as a leading retailer has announced he is to leave the Post Office.

Subpostmaster Les Gilbert has decided his post offices in South Chard, Somerset, and Lyme Regis in Dorset, are no longer financially viable.

“With Post Office income in decline and costs increasing we have made the difficult decision to leave the Post Office network,” he said. “We have worked very hard to grow our business our Post Office branch opens seven days a week to 8pm and was very popular among customers.”

Les said that he had been asked to convert to a Post Office Local model, which would have resulted in a drop in income despite requiring the same amount of work, which he felt was “not a practical or viable business proposition”.

An income survey conducted by the National Federation of SubPostmasters revealed that only 17% of subpostmasters could “see a strong future for their business” while 51% said their Post Office income had decreased in the past year.

The Post Office is now looking at options for alternative sites in South Chard and Lyme Regis.