THE search continues for a new premises and operator to run the post office in Lydford which has been without a service for almost three months. There have been no applicants for the post, following advertisements placed by Post Office Ltd, although there have been some expressions of interest, a spokeswoman confirmed. Situated in the village garage business for the past decade, the post office closed at the end of September and the parish council has been looking at various options, including using the Nicholls Hall. Sue Dakin from the Post Office said she was keen to hear from anybody who might be interested in running the service: ?We want to maintain a presence in Lydford and hopefully we will find a solution,? she said. ?Post offices can be run from all sorts of premises and anyone who thinks they might have a suitable place should get in touch with us. The Agency Recruitment Line is 0845 601 6260.? Parish clerk David Evans said Nicholls Hall was not ideal but it was better than nothing: ?If it went ahead it would probably be two and a half days a week and run by a neighbouring postmaster. ?Nothing would be kept in the village hall ? it would be packed up and taken away at the end of the day ? like a mobile service. ?We would like to find a more permanent solution but we are not having a great deal of success on that front at the moment.? Mr Evans said the Castle Inn at Lydford had expressed an interest but there were no other shops or outlets in the village where a post office could be incorporated. ?We have post offices each side of us in Bridestowe and Mary Tavy ? it?s not a problem if you have a car, but it is a problem for the elderly. ?We have a very high percentage of retired and elderly people living in Lydford and a village post office is an essential service for them.? Cllr Robert Williamson, who represents Lydford on West Devon Borough Council, said this type of facility was extremely important to rural villages like Lydford and he was working closely with the parish council and the Post Office to make sure there was as little disruption as possible to the service.
