Subpostmistress quits over audit 'irregularities'

Published on Monday 15 September 2008 10:10

A SUBPOSTMISTRESS has quit after an internal audit found financial irregularities at her branch.

Juniper Green post office has been shut temporarily as a result – but Royal Mail bosses have failed to find anyone else to take it over.

And there are fears the community could lose its post office permanently, even though it was not on the current hit list of closures.

The branch, located at a newsagent's at 529 Lanark Road, shut on July 29, although the rest of the shop is still trading.

But the Post Office only announced the closure last week and apologised for any inconvenience.

Post Office official Karen Bragg said: "The provision of a Post Office service to the local community is of paramount importance and we continue to work hard to restore normal services."

The next nearest post office branches are at Wester Hailes and Currie, both more than a mile away.

SNP Lothians MSP Ian McKee said he received a letter to tell him the branch had closed and a formal decision would be taken on its future when the current consultation closed.

He said: "They may have tried to find someone else to run it, but they can't have tried very hard."

A Post Office spokeswoman said: "Following an audit which found financial irregularities, the subpostmistress was suspended and then resigned."