The Post Office is on the hunt for a new branch in Woodley as a Morrisons Daily store in the town is set to close.
A post office has been at the convenience store near the end of Crockhamwell Road for many years. The store was previously a McColl’s, but was turned into Morrisons Daily in November 2024.
An announcement has been made that the Morrisons Daily is closing on Friday, August 21, with the post office closing two days earlier on Wednesday, August 19.
A letter by Billy Ware, a corporate account manager at the Post Office, said: “I am writing to advise that our retail partner, Morrisons have now confirmed their decision to close the Woodley Morrisons Daily store and, as a result, the Woodley Post Office branch will also need to close.
“The provision of a Post Office service to our customers in the area is important to us, and we are working hard to find a solution to continue offering Post Office services to the local community in Woodley.
“We are currently in the early stages of reviewing an application to run the Post Office branch, and we will provide a further update on our plans as soon as possible.
“In exploring this, it is important that any future service is sustainable for the person operating the service and for Post Office Limited.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke with shoppers about the upcoming closure last month.
William Lawrence theorised that Morrisons is closing the Daily stores to prioritise its supermarkets. The company has begun a round of closing 100 Daily stores, according to the Retail Gazette.
A woman was worried where she would be able to do her banking and post.
She said: “What are you supposed to do? Go into Reading? That’s ridiculous.”
Mr Ware’s letter states residents can continue to use postal services at the MAS News store in Brecon Road and Broad Street Mall in Reading town centre.
Details about the upcoming closure of the store were shared on Woodley Facebook groups by councillor Keith Baker (Conservative, Coronation East), who sits on the town council.
He noted that the former Just Tiles building in Headley Road has been turned into a Morrisons Daily, Mass Barbers and the Berkshire Village Farm Shop.
Cllr Baker said: “I don’t know whether it’s linked, but Morrisons may have drawn the conclusion that they don’t need two.”
Customers requiring other postal services can also visit the Wheelers Green Post Office at The Parade in Coppice Road, Woodley.
