Dozens of Spar stores to end Post Office service

Dozens of Spar stores across Scotland are to close their Post Office counters over the next six months.

Operator CJ Lang & Son said it was "constantly reviewing" provision in its shops around the country.

The company confirmed that meant 31 stores across Scotland would no longer be able to offer Post Office services.

It said the decision - which comes after 18 months of negotiations - had been "carefully considered" and was due to "industry-wide pressures".

South of Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said the loss of four offices in Dumfries and Galloway - at Thornhill, Eastriggs, Gretna and Georgetown in Dumfries - was a "blow to the region".

He urged the Post Office to try to find an "alternative home" for the branches set to close across August and September.

Mr Smyth said the situation was "very concerning" and that a post office in the community was "vital" for many constituents.

A statement from CJ Lang & Son said it would continue to invest to ensure its stores served the communities in which they are based.

However, it said it regularly reviewed the impact of the Post Office counters on its overall store operations.

It said that in order to ensure it could keep the 31 shops involved running it had decided it could no longer offer the service.

"It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in the position of having to change the services we offer over the next six months," it said.

"This is representative of the industry-wide pressures on retail outlets as we evolve to keep up with changing consumer habits."

A Post Office spokesman said it was "disappointed" the decision to close the counters which it said was solely CJ Lang's.

He said post offices played an "important role" for communities and it had worked hard to find a solution to keep them open.

"At certain locations, there are nearby alternative Post Office branches, but we recognise that for some particularly older and disabled people they may not be easily accessible," he said.

"We will look for replacement solutions both on a temporary or permanent basis for those branches that close."

The full list of stores involved is:

Services in 17 other CJ Lang operated stores will remain open.