A local Post Office operator has stepped in to ensure that three Perthshire villages are not left without a post office counter entirely.
Marlene Hobson of Comrie Post Office is to provide an outreach service for Muthill, St Fillans and Lochearnhead.
Post Office services are to return to Muthill at a reduced capacity, after villagers had gone eight months without a branch.
The services will resume from Muthill Village Hall as a hosted outreach service, and will be available every Thursday from January 20 from 10am to noon.
The facility will operate in St Fillans on a Tuesday from 10am to noon and at Lochearnhead on Tuesdays from 12.30 to 2.30pm.
Marlene explained: “It was actually Post Office that approached me in the beginning and asked me if I’d take over Lochearnhead and St Fillans as Strathyre Post Office was no longer doing them.
“We’re lucky in so much that some of our customers already visit us at Comrie from both places so I kind of felt we already had a relationship.
“When we moved here we didn’t have a plan - anyone that knows me knows that organisation and planning aren’t my strong points - it’s just sort of happened.
“Then we heard that Muthill was to permanently close and it seemed mad not to do it so I suggested adding it to our touring portfolio.”
Marlene is encouraging locals to make use of the Post Office’s many services on offer.
“Post Offices are no longer just stamps and posting”, she continued. “In fact, I’d say that side of the business isn’t as important as it once was.
“The impact of bank closures has had a huge effect on lots of communities and we’re picking up business from that and, as we’re paid per transaction, the more we do the healthier we become and the chances of us sticking around increase.”
Local MSP Liz Smith was pleased that the outreach service would be available in Muthill once more.
The Mid Scotland and Fife Conservative representative said: “This is welcome news even if it is not a return to the Post Office services which were previously in place in Muthill.
“I am grateful to Robert Sharp and his colleagues for making this new arrangement possible, to the local community for the strength of their campaigning and may l encourage as many local people to use the outreach facility when it starts on January 20.
“This is welcome news even if it is not a return to the post office services which were previously in place in Muthill.”
