“I would have no shopping, money or newspaper if you close it. It is my lifeline.”
That’s how one Canonbie resident feels about the village Post Office and it’s clearly a view shared by many so a group has now been formed with a view to a buyout of the facility.
Current Postmaster Andrew Scott has run the Post Office and shop for the past seven years. When he announced he wanted to retire, a number of residents got together and formed the Canonbie Community Enterprise.
They say it’s vital for the village to have its own P.O. and shop because otherwise the nearest option is in Longtown. That means a round trip of twelve miles every time which can be a problem especially for older villagers and also adds to the carbon footprint.
Many local people also currently use the P.O.’s banking services as there isn’t a cashpoint in the village and banks in Langholm are only open on certain days which isn’t convenient for everyone, especially people working full-time.
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