Isle of Man Post Office announces that when the Douglas Post Office operation moves from the current location in July, it will be to a new spacious and dedicated post office situated in the heart of Strand Street in the former 'Carnival' site, owned by Mannin Retail Ltd's parent company Heron & Brearley Ltd.
The relocation to the new premises, which is bigger than the current post office, will be in central Strand Street and will provide customers with a modern feel and will be fully accessible for disabled customers, those with pushchairs and a hearing loop for the hearing impaired. The decision to explore alternative property options came after public and political feedback to the proposal to relocate the post office to the Spar store adjacent to Regent Street. Initially there will temporary signage outside the new post office as a planning application is in progress with the planning office.
In the new post office, customers will have freedom of choice in the way in which they transact their postal business with six counters in total including two at the front of the post office which can provide quick transactions and our foreign exchange service. In addition, there will also be two self-service Pay & Post kiosks for customers who prefer to undertake their transactions themselves. The kiosks enable customers to post letters and parcels, purchase postage labels and pay utility bills (MUA, Manx Telecom, Manx Gas, fixed penalties and Government rents and rates). A self-service kiosk will also be installed in the Spar store in Strand Street for additional convenience and choice for customers.
There will also be a trial of 'drop boxes' positioned by the kiosks in both Strand Street locations. These will be dedicated for the posting of items transacted through the Pay and Post machines. Meanwhile a normal post box will be positioned outside the new post office with collections throughout the day from 06.00hrs until closing Monday to Saturday. Post vans will be able to access the building via the lane at the rear of the property for collections and deliveries. If access is required down Strand Street, Isle of Man Post Office will be abiding by the access restrictions currently in place for delivery vehicles.
A Queue Host will provide a warm welcome to customers on entry to the post office and will be on hand to direct customers to their chosen point of sale and to answer any queries they may have. A range of Isle of Man Stamps & Coins merchandise as well as stationery will also be on offer. The opening hours will remain the same as the existing location: 08.45-17.45 Monday to Friday and 09.00 – 14.00 on Saturdays.
The nearest disabled parking spaces are located by Markwell House in Market Street and at the junction of Granville Street on Loch Promenade.
Ray Harmer MHK, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office said: "Isle of Man Post Office and Mannin Retail have worked hard to address the feedback it received from customers on the proposed move to the Spar store. We are pleased that Mannin Retail was able to propose an alternative premise which we all believe is a good central location for the new Post Office. Since the operation of the post office in Douglas transferred to Mannin Retail last September, customer support and feedback has been very positive and we very much hope this continues when the office opens its new doors."
He added: "We hope customers will find the new location attractive and there will be easier access with the property being at street level. We understand how busy everyone's lives can be and so we hope the new layout with the quick tills will give customers a speedy and convenient service whilst receiving the highest levels of customer service throughout. The relocation of Douglas post office has been a key project and I am indebted to all the staff and our partner Mannin Retail who have worked on this project which will result in what we anticipate to be a seamless transition for our loyal and valued customers."
Peter Whittaker, Managing Director of Mannin Retail, said: "We're delighted to have been able to offer a convenient and dedicated location on Strand Street for customers. As part of the Heron and Brearley group with its large portfolio of properties, we are uniquely placed to provide an alternative location which also makes a contribution to the appearance and appeal of Strand Street. We pride ourselves on our customer service and this dedicated retail outlet will help us to deliver to an even higher standard".
Once the office relocation has taken place, Isle of Man Post Office will be ensuring there is a future use of the former building in Regent Street. A project team is currently exploring the option to redevelop the site into a large retail area whilst maintaining the existing façade and it is anticipated that an application for planning permission will be ready to be submitted during the summer. The building in Regent Street is located within a central part of the town's regeneration area and Isle of Man Post Office believe it is important this building is used to its best potential to benefit Douglas town centre well into the future.
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