THE television series ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ and the current public inquiry into wrongly prosecuted Postmasters may be scaring off applicants to run a sub-Post Office in Minehead.

The ITV drama told the story of Britain’s ‘widest miscarriage of justice’, when the Post Office prosecuted hundreds of sub-Postmasters for alleged theft while covering up bugs in its Horizon software which could have been responsible for accounting errors.

A public inquiry into the scandal began in 2021 and has been featuring in national news media almost daily since the ITV drama aired.

Now, West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger fears the cumulative effect could be one of the reasons nobody has applied to run Minehead’s Post Office once it leaves its present premises in the town’s Co-op supermarket.

The Post Office and Co-op store in Minehead are expected to close this year for a redevelopment of the site.
The Post Office and Co-op store in Minehead are expected to close this year for a redevelopment of the site. ( )

Mr Liddell-Grainger said he was hardly surprised, but he urged any would-be applicants not to be deterred by revelations about the Horizon software scandal.

Minehead Post Office is scheduled for closure and demolition in the next few months if planning permission is granted for a McCarthy Stone retirement accommodation development in its place.

Alcombe Post Office closed last year, which would mean the next nearest facilities were in Dunster or Allerford.

Mr Liddell-Grainger wrote to Post Office bosses asking if any progress had been made in securing the future of its Minehead branch and was told there had not been a single application.

The Post Office said it was now relaunching an advertising campaign to try to stimulate interest.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said it was ‘unthinkable’ for Minehead not to have a Post Office.

He said: “On the other hand I am not completely surprised by this situation.

“Thanks to the evidence now being teased out of witnesses at the public inquiry, the Post Office brand has become tainted by a saga of cover-ups, bullying, lying, shockingly inept leadership, and an overwhelming desire to protect its reputation, no matter who got trampled on in the process.

“That reputation has now been comprehensively shredded to the extent where most people would rather walk barefoot across broken glass than take a job as a Postmaster.

“It is difficult to argue with that viewpoint, but what I would say is that there has been a dramatic culture shift within the organisation.

“The Post Office has been severely chastened by the revelations, ahead of any chastisement the inquiry report may dish out.

“Most of those most deeply implicated in the Horizon affair have left.

“Senior officials now accept they are in the national spotlight and are likely to remain so for months, if not years.

“On that basis they are not about to put a foot wrong and it is obvious that their dealings with Postmasters from now on will be based on honesty, fairness, transparency, and integrity.

“I trust that diametric change of attitude will convince some people at least that the new-look Post Office does indeed offer rewarding opportunities - and that we shall be able to achieve service continuity in Minehead.”