Mannin Retail Ltd has been appointed to run Ramsey Post Office following an open tender exercise.
Mannin Retail Ltd, part of Heron and Brearley who employ approximately 1,000 people on the Island, are a well-known local business offering excellent customer service in six post offices with experienced staff. The Post Office will continue to provide services from its current location in the Courthouse building operated by Mannin Retail Ltd, until operations transfer to their convenience store in Parliament Street in the spring of 2016.
Ramsey Post Office customers can be assured that their concerns, previously raised about the new location of the Post Office, have been considered and addressed in Mannin Retail Ltd's tender submission, with easy access from the street and throughout the shop. Currently customers are unable to see the size of the space the new Post Office will occupy, until extensive building work has been completed. However, there will be an opportunity for the public to see the new area before the relocation takes place.
Customers will also benefit from longer opening hours, to be extended by 15 minutes at either end of the working day. Mannin Retail Ltd is currently trialling additional hours on a Saturday afternoon at their new central Douglas Post Office, which currently remains in Regent Street and consideration will be given to extending opening times further in Ramsey if the trial proves successful.
Mannin Retail's Managing Director Peter Whittaker said: "We are pleased that our proven track record of delivering consistently high standards of customer service has been recognised once again by Isle of Man Post Office. We take our commitment to local communities very seriously and look forward to bringing that same excellent range of postal services and convenience to the people of Ramsey."
The transfer is set to take place by the end of November, however as we are working towards a seamless transition, the busy Christmas period may prevent this from happening until the New Year. Out of the eight affected staff working at Ramsey Post Office, four have already accepted redeployment roles in other areas of Isle of Man Post Office which they will commence once the transition plan is agreed and implemented with Mannin Retail Ltd. Mannin Retail Ltd is keen to employ skilled and experienced staff and all affected staff will have the opportunity to work at the new Post Office.
Isle of Man Post Office has served the local community in Ramsey from a number of locations over the years. Currently it is a tenant of the Courthouse building and the lease with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) ends in July 2016. This period of time will provide the DHA and any other interested parties time to secure a future use for the building.
Graham Cregeen MHK, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office, said: "The transfer of the Regent Street Post Office at the beginning of September went very smoothly and we are confident the Ramsey Post Office transfer will be the same. Isle of Man Post Office is a changing business but remains very committed to providing retail postal services in Ramsey and across the Island. We must continue to develop new products and services to meet the changing needs of our customers however, like every part of Government, we must look at cost effective ways to deliver services into the community. The Post Office conversion project will generate a saving of £360k per annum from both Ramsey and Douglas Crown Post Offices, helping to protect and sustain the future of the business. We look forward to maintaining retail postal services for our customers in Ramsey with our new partner Mannin Retail Ltd."
Tony Wild MLC, Vice Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office said: "Isle of Man Post Office recognises the prolonged uncertainty this project has placed on its affected employees and loyal customers, which the business sought to avoid from the outset. Ramsey Post Office staff have continued to deliver excellent customer service during what has been a difficult time for them all. As this project now comes to a conclusion, on behalf of Isle of Man Post Office I would like to wish them every success in their future endeavours."
-Ends-
NOTES TO EDITOR
• Timeline of events:
• Isle of Man Post Office (IOMPO) announced on 17th November 2014 it would be converting the two Crown Post Offices in Ramsey and Douglas to sub agencies operated by Mannin Retail. This plan had been approved by the Council of Ministers.
On 2nd December 2014, the House of Keys supported a motion to postpone the planned conversion of the two crown offices for up to three months. Following political guidance and House of Keys instruction, IOMPO looked at alternative ways to deliver this project with affected staff and local authorities given the opportunity to submit proposals for achieving the objectives of these conversions.
IOMPO agreed in principle to appoint Ramsey Courthouse Limited (RCL) to run Ramsey Post Office and Mannin Retail to operate Douglas Post Office on 16th April 2015 subject to the agreement of all relevant terms and the signing of the draft contract provided.
On 14th August 2015, IOMPO announced it had been unable to reach a positive conclusion to negotiations with RCL.
Following this, an open tender exercise to seek interested parties to operate Ramsey Post Office commenced on 17th August 2015 and officially closed on 24th September 2015. The tender exercise complied fully with Financial Directives and once again received approval by the Council of Ministers on October 8th 2015
• The Post Office Conversion project generates a total saving of £360k for both Ramsey and Douglas Crown Post Offices
• Four of the affected staff from Regent Street have commenced redeployment roles within IOMPO while four of the Ramsey staff have accepted redeployment positions within IOMPO
• The transfer of Douglas Post Office to Mannin Retail took place seamlessly on 7th September 2015 with no interruption to service for customers
• IOMPO provides a £2million dividend to the Treasury each year
• The IOMPO Board consists of: Graham Cregeen MHK (Chairman)
Tony Wild MLC (Vice Chairman)
Kit Pemberton (Board Member)
Kurt Roosen (Board Member)
Ven Brian Partington OBE (Board Member)
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