Butchers A.Arnold & Sons and Post Office both close in Long Bennington

Residents have expressed disappointment at losing both their butchers and post office on the same day.

Family-run butchers A. Arnold & Sons ceased trading on February 2 after serving Long Bennington for 30 years.

They took over the postal services when the main village branch closed two years ago to try to keep the service in the village and to increase footfall.

But as business dropped, they have been left with little choice but to close both the butchers and the post office within it.

Parish councillor Stephen Pearson has lived in the village for 15 years. He said: “It is the third casualty since the Co-op opened in the village in 2015.

“The parish council did approach the Co-op but they said that it was not financially feasible to take on the post office facilities but it is not the parish council’s job to try and seek alternative options.

“The closure of the post office in particular will have a big impact on many people in the village who will have to travel further afield to access postal services.”

Stephen is also concerned about the impact the closure will have on residents in other villages too, adding: “We are the centre for a lot of other villages.

“It is just being allowed to happen without any prior public consultation. There has been little communication from anyone. It is appalling and a huge shame for the village.”

Mr Paul Wood, who represents Long Bennington on South Kesteven District Council, is also against the proposed post office closure.

He said: “Long Bennington has a population of approximately 2,000 with many relying on the post office for vital services. The closure will have a serious impact on the community and will have a disproportionate impact on groups already at risk of social and economic exclusion.

“I am also extremely concerned that the Post Office have not followed their own Code of Practice in that a six-week consultation is required before any closure and that the current facility is planned to close without any consultation having taken place.”

Staff at A. Arnold & Sons said they were grateful for the support and sad to be leaving the village.

Tom Arnold said: “After 30 years trading in Long Bennington, it is with sadness and regret that we have had to take the decision to close our shop where we have been agents for the Post Office for over two years.

“Like many rural businesses we rely heavily on the support of the community and surrounding villages to use both the post office and the shop.

“Unfortunately, without this support we are unable to continue to provide these services and so we will be closing our doors.”

A spokesman at the Post Office said: “The postmaster for Long Bennington has just resigned and the premises, which we do not own, will be withdrawn from Post Office use when the post office and shop close. We are committed to providing a post office service to the area and we will look to see how a service can be restored to the area as soon as possible.”

Any retailer interested in incorporating the post office into their business should email NTquestions@postoffice.co.uk