Three Case Studies of the Role of the Post Office within Rural Communities in Scotland - A Study undertaken by Vikki Hilton of Hilton Associates ...
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Three Case Studies of the Role of the
Post Office within Rural
Communities in Scotland
A Study undertaken by
Vikki Hilton of Hilton Associates
on behalf of Scottish Executive
Executive Overview 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.2 Objectives 1.3 Methods 1.3.1 Why a Participatory Appraisal approach 1.3.2 When it took place 1.3.3 Who participated and what happened 2. CASE STUDY AREAS 2.1 An accessible rural area: West Linton, Scottish Borders 2.2 A remote rural area: Kirkconnel, Dumfries & Galloway 2.3 A very remote rural area: Rogart, Sutherland 3. WHICH POST OFFICE SERVICES DOES EACH COMMUNITY USE? 4. THE SOCIAL ROLE OF POST OFFICES TO RURAL COMMUNITIES 4.1 Access to post office counter services by the “community of users” 4.1.1 Access to financial services (financial inclusion) 4.1.2 Access to services by “vulnerable" groups 4.2 Post Office as a hub of the community 4.3 Importance of trust in postmaster/staff and customer loyalty to post office 5. WHAT COULD BE CHANGED/IMPROVED ABOUT THE POST OFFICE? 5.1 What could be changed or improved by case study area? 5.1.1 West Linton case study 5.1.2 Kirkconnel case study 5.1.3 Rogart case study 6. POTENTIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ROLE OF POST OFFICES TO COMMUNITIES IN RURAL SCOTLAND 6.1 Interdependency between post office services and other community services 6.2 Communication network through post office supports community structure 6.3 Role in the local tourist industry 6.4 A desire to “be green” 7. CONCLUSIONS Bibliography & References Appendix 1: H Diagram Appendix 2: Poster Promotion in the Rogart case study A ppendix 3: Graphs outlining participants’ definitions of post office counter services Acknowledgments: With thanks to the Postmasters and their staff who made us welcome and shared their local knowledge to help us, to the Chairs of the Community Councils who made us welcome and generously gave their time not only to share their views but to meet and share local contact information. Finally our very great thanks to everyone in the communities who gave up their time to share and record their views on the role of post offices in rural communities. Without all these people’s help and time this work would not have been possible. With thanks to Fionagh Thomson, SEERAD, for supporting and promoting participatory approaches for this research and for the editorial of this report. Copyright Ordnance survey maps ©Crown Copyright 2005. All rights reserved Scottish Executive Licence number: 100020540 2005 Photographs © Vikki Hilton
1. Executive Overview
Background
This research is part of the Scottish Executive’s wider commitment to ensuring that
people living in rural Scotland have access to high quality services essential to their life
and work. One potentially important rural service is post offices, the focus of this study.
The overall objective of the research was to produce qualitative information on why rural
residents use their local post office. This research sought to gather baseline information
as there has been a gap in the knowledge base, which has prevented a fully informed
discussion around the social role(s) of the post offices in rural communities in Scotland.
Methods
Due to the exploratory nature of this research, a participatory approach was adopted and
community members were invited to share their views on the role of their post office in
their lives. [Everyone who was approached and invited to participate in this study used
the post office in some form.] 1
Three case studies were chosen from three different rural categories for Scotland (see
map on front cover)
• West Linton, Scottish Borders (Accessible rural: 231 participants)
• Kirkconnel, Dumfries (Remote rural: 126 participants)
• Rogart, Sutherland (Very remote rural: 161 participants).
Findings
Two main categories of why people use rural post offices evolved from participants’ own
viewpoints. First, participants in all three case studies use traditional counter services citing 55
services in all. For this report, and to aid future or comparative research, these 55
services were divided into the POL five categories of users: mail, banking, retail & travel;
bill payments; benefits, pension & homecare schemes; segmented products (e.g.
insurance); and other services (shop retail). Participants’ discussion around the last
category, the retail unit, answered a sub-objective: to explore the relative importance of
the retail unit to users. Participants’ comments indicated that the more remote the post
office the more important the retail unit, and the more diverse the goods supplied in the
shop. However, the distinction between whether participants visited the post office to
use the counter services or to use the retail unit was not separated by participants.
The second and wider reason for why people used post offices answered an underlying
initial question for this research: is there a social role to the post offices in rural Scotland? to
which the overriding answer appears to be yes. The details focus down upon three main
social roles, as reported by participants:
First, in all three case studies the post office provided access to services to community
members who are restricted in their use of other services due to their geographical
location, regardless of income or physical well-being. In particular the post office
promotes financial inclusion among these communities through providing access to
finances as each case study area has no bank or it only opens two days a week. This was
important in Kirkconnel due to a high proportion of post office users being groups of
older people. Accessing these post office services locally is reported to be particularly
useful by more vulnerable groups of the communities, such as those with no transport
1 One exception was in the Kirkconnel case study, where 7 individuals began to participate but soon
realised they were discussing another local post office (Kelloholm) and not Kirkconnel.
(due to lack of income or inability to drive), which is exacerbated by a poor bus services across all three case studies. Other groups were disabled individuals who cannot always travel far or need face-to-face service support and the elderly, who predominantly draw their pension from the post office. Second, the post office was cited by participants to be the hub of the community, providing a place to meet and providing and maintaining an informal communication network. This social role was seen to be of particular importance in Rogart, due to the scattered nature of the community. Finally, the postmasters and their staff are held to play an important part in the community and in all three studies participants reported the advice and support provided by these individuals went beyond customer counter duties to fulfil a wider community role. As a result, they have become figures of trust in the community and have created customer loyalty and, as reported, participants actively chose to use the post office. This is significant in West Linton, where users commuting to work in Edinburgh have access to other post offices. Other important though more indirect factors, which potentially influence the social role of these rural post offices were also highlighted during this study. Across all three case studies the post office’s location in relation to other services supports, and is supported by, these services, such as an Inn in Rogart, in the form of a one stop shop. In Rogart and West Linton, participants reported that the maintenance of a community’s communication network through the post office strengthens a community’s structures, which leads to increased feelings of safety and confidence, in particular for the elderly. Two less reported potential factors were: the post office supports the tourist industry through its role as an informal tourist information place and shop and, for those inhabitants who promote green forms of living, they can use their cars less. Note: All issues raised in this report evolved from rural communities’ perceptions of the role of their post office to them within three Scottish rural communities. One case study was taken from each of three categories of rural: accessible remote, remote and very remote, though it should be remembered that these communities’ views have evolved from specific socio-cultural and economic contexts. As a result, these views may not necessarily represent all other rural communities in similar categories in Scotland. However, the participatory process produces authentic and robust information, which does not evolve from preset criteria, and lays out solid initial baseline information for further discussions around the social role of post offices in rural communities in Scotland as well as highlighting potential areas for wider research.
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that people living in rural Scotland have access to high quality services essential to their life and work. The post office is one service that is often perceived as being important in rural areas. Although few rural post offices are financially viable, the network is subsidised so that unavoidable closures of rural post offices in the UK do not occur. One reason for this subsidy is recognition of the fact that post offices have a role to play in terms of ensuring access to services in rural communities. Individual post offices offer different services, for example, some have retail outlets attached. It is possible that the role of the post office may differ according to the services it offers. As a result, the three post offices chosen for this study all offered additional retail services, in the form of a shop. Although some research has shown that the post office plays a role in terms of being important to ‘vulnerable’ groups and as a focal point in the community, a better understanding of the precise role that post offices play is required. In order to have a greater understanding the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) commissioned qualitative research to understand why people in rural communities use the post office. The results from the research will be used to help inform how the post office service can best be delivered in the future. 1.2 Objectives The objective of the research was to produce qualitative information on why rural residents use their local post office. A sub-objective was to explore the relative importance of the retail outlet associated with the post office. 1.3 Methods In using a qualitative approach it was decided to undertake the study using participatory methods to ensure that an open exploratory approach was used to enable people to share their views. Specifically, a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to the project was undertaken using Participatory Appraisal (PA) methodologies. An example of the method used can be found in appendix 1. Since the focus of the research was on why rural residents use the post office, the research was conducted with customers at the post office, local businesses and people living within the area serviced by the local post offices. An open exploratory format was used to encourage participants to identify a range of views and reasons, which would not be forthcoming in a quantitative survey. The “richness” of participants’ views is shown in the outcomes in section 4. This approach also recognises that the people who live in the community have knowledge and experience and are uniquely placed to evaluate the current situation and identify the social benefits of their rural post office. 1.3.1 Why a Participatory Appraisal approach Participatory Appraisal (PA) is one of a family of approaches, methods, attitudes and behaviours that enable people to share, enhance and analyse their knowledge of life and conditions, and to enable them to plan, act, monitor, evaluate and reflect. (Chambers, 2002). This approach acknowledges that people have that knowledge themselves.
Participatory Appraisal is an approach that enables people to share their ideas and knowledge about life and local conditions. It is also a process that encourages inclusion by striving to involve as wide a cross section of local people as possible, ensuring an equal representation of all inputs. This is particularly important for those whose voices are not often heard or valued – “the hidden voices”. The approach seeks diversity, recognising that people’s lives and ideas are complex; it seeks to reach out to all members of the community and does not seek to create averages or demand homogeneity or consensus. The use of visual methods enhances and encourages participation, providing a structure, and acting as a focus for discussion and analysis of situations. PA is distinct from other qualitative methods, such as interviews and focus groups. 1.3.2 When it took place The work was undertaken over three days in each community incorporating day, evening and weekend work to ensure a wide range of participation. Due to the project timeline the work had to be carried out during late July and early August. This had the benefit of good weather, which meant more people were out and about in the area, but it also meant that it was a peak holiday time so some people were away. On balance a good number of people participated with a range of ages and geographical distribution. Details can be found in section 2.3. 1.3.3 Who participated and what happened The team spent three days in each area from the Thursday morning until the Saturday afternoon. During this time they were based at the local post office and also went out and about in the area meeting people at their homes, on the streets and at the shops. In all the areas one team member also drove around the area meeting people who had not visited the post office during the three days that the team were in the community. In addition, in West Linton and Kirkconnel the team advertised a drop-in event on the Saturday at a local Community Hall as recommended by members of the community. In Rogart, local advice proposed that more people were likely to drop by the post office than drop by the Hall, since the post office was reported to be the “hub of the community”. In total 518 people shared their views on the role of the post office with the balance being West Linton 231 (approximately 16% of the population), Kirkconnel 126 (approximately 6% of the population) and Rogart 161 (approximately 32% of the population) 2. 2 Based on SCROL, Scotland’s Census Results Online for Kirkconnel and West Linton.
2. Case Study Areas
The research was conducted in post offices in three case study areas. The case study areas
were stratified by geographic areas using the Scottish Executive 8-fold Urban Rural
Classification, focussing on the three rural categories:
• Accessible rural (with a population less than 3,000 and within a 30 minute drive time of a
settlement with a population of 10,00): West Linton, Scottish Borders;
• Remote rural (with a population less than 3,000 and within a 30 and 60 minute drive time of a
settlement with a population of 10,000): Kirkconnel, Dumfries & Galloway;
• Very remote rural (with a population less than 3,000 and over a 60 minute drive time from a
settlement with a population of 10,000): Rogart, Sutherland.
A map indicating the location of the three case studies is on the front cover of this report
and each case study background is outlined below. Within each case study there is a map
indicating where people came from to use the post office. [Each catchment area map, in
each case study, was drawn by the respective postmaster (and postman in Rogart), based
upon their knowledge & experience of their customer base and the local topography.]
2.1 An accessible rural area: West Linton, Scottish Borders
The village of West Linton, in the Scottish Borders, is 17 miles southwest of Scotland’s
capital Edinburgh. West Linton has a population of 1,459 (Census, 2001), whilst West
Linton and district has a population of 3,768 (Census, 2001); the village has recently had
an influx of new housing developments on the outskirts.
The map below shows the catchment area for the West Linton post office. The post
office is on the High Street and is one of a number of other businesses that form the
“shopping centre” to the village. Other businesses include two pubs, a Hotel, a “Deli”,
the Co-Op, a newsagent, Bank, chemist, fireplace shop, gift outlet, bookshop and a café
(see figure 13, page 19).
local
The local bank is only open two days a week with the nearest one being in Penicuik, 4
miles away. There is also a free Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) in West Linton. The
local bus service runs every hour, which means the round trip often takes three hours if
people need to go there for banking services.
The post office has a retail outlet that sells stationery, cards, gifts, toys and balloons. The
Postmaster also acts as an agent for an estate agent and has been running the post office
for 10 years. The post office serves a community with a six mile radius.
During the research the team based themselves near the post office and also went out
and about in the area to reach into the farming community.
Demographic breakdown:
The age and gender of those who participated in the
Age
research are outlined in figure 2. Both maps show
where participants live. [Figure 3 shows the
surrounding area while figure 4 is a close-up of the
village.] Each red dot, as marked by participant or
participants, represents the location of their
household.
Fig.2
Fig.3
Car ownership
Thirty five (15%) participants in this case
study recorded having no vehicle, of these
one group was a family. Eighteen (12%)
were retired and of these one person said
they stopped driving when they reached
89 years old. One individual recorded
that they were on disability allowances,
Fig. 4 one was unemployed and seven were still
at school. 13% of the 231 participants
recorded having no car. 3
3
The Census (2001) show 8.96% households in the area have no car/van.
2.2 A remote rural area: Kirkconnel, Dumfries & Galloway
Kirkconnel is in the North of Dumfries and
Galloway with a population of around 2,000
(Census, 2001). The post office is on the
Main Street, which also has a café, two Co-op
shops, one of which is a grocery, a newsagent,
a chemist, a pub and a restaurant. It was
reported that the number of shops in the area
decreased after the mines in the area closed in
1967. The bank also closed, which was said to
have had an impact on community life.
Recently a fee paying ATM has been installed in the pub at Kirkconnel and a fee-free one
at the Co-op in Kelloholm, which is around one mile from Kirkconnel High Street.
Figure 5 shows Kirkconnel post office’s
catchment area as marked by the
postmaster.
Fig. 5 Fig. 6
Demographic breakdown:
The age and gender of those who participated in the research are outlined in figure 6.
From this information, it is calculated that 67% of participants were women and 33%
were men. The postmaster estimated that the proportion of overall users was 75%
women to 25% men.
The maps in figures 7 and 8 show the geographical spread of where participants live.
Fig.7
Car ownership Fig.8
Forty seven participants (37%) recorded not
having a car, of this number 27 (18%) were
retired, two were registered unemployed, two had access to cars through family and five
of these participants recorded having a disability. 4
2.3 A very remote rural area: Rogart, Sutherland
The Parish of Rogart is in Sutherland to the
north west of Dornoch approximately six
miles from the A9. The post office, situated
in Pittentrail, serves a scattered crofting
community with a reported 200 households
and around 500 people including children.
Fig.9
Other facilities include an Inn, a garage and a vet who serves the Highlands area (see
figure 15 on page 20). Rogart is a crofting community and the post office catchment area
(figure 9) and the participants’ mapping (figure 10) shows the scattered nature of the
community which has a twice daily post bus with space for four paying passengers.
4
Census 2001 data shows 41.25% of the households have no vehicle in this area.Due to the isolation of the area the post office and shop are a focal point in the
community. The post office and shop facility are used by local people, visitors and
people who work in the area. The shop is the only one within a 6 – 12 mile radius,
depending on where people live in the scattered community. The post office also serves
hunting lodges and estates in the area. Due to the community it serves, the post office
offers a very wide range of products from groceries, papers and magazines to electrical
and toiletry items
The nearest bank and ATM are over eight miles away and other post offices at Lairg and
Golspie are from 4 – 12 miles away. The figure 11 shows the age and number of
participants from Rogart and the surrounding areas.
Age
Fig.10
Fig 11
The table shows that 161 people
participated with an almost equal
balance between women and men. A
high representation of participants was in the 45 to 84 age range, which reflects the
official population spread in the area (Census, 2001).
Of 161 participants 141 (88%) live in the area, four people work in the area and use the
local post office during work hours. A further 16 visitors, who visit the area on a regular
basis, also took part. The outlying dots on the map above represent regular visitors to the
area, ranging from twice a year over the last four years to every year for 25 years and
users who work in the area though live elsewhere.
Car Ownership
Of the 161 people who participated 21 (13%) recorded having no car 5. Sixteen of these
21 participants were retired. One individual cited poor eyesight as a factor in not driving.
5
Census statistics show 15.44% households with no vehicle.This is a very scattered community and there was a very good response to the work,
which was helped by poster and
newspaper promotions (see appendix 2). People were
keen to participate and as well as working in and
around the post office the team went out into the
community to talk to people at their homes. In
addition people asked to be contacted to participate
in the study.
On Thursday afternoons the local paper, The Northern Times, is delivered, which is a
time when a large number of the people in the area converge on the post office to pick
up the newspaper, use the facility, have crofting business meetings, including exchanging
farm tools, and to have a “blether” 6.
3. WHICH POST OFFICE SERVICES DOES EACH COMMUNITY USE?
During the study, participants were asked the open question 7: what do you use your post office
for? As each post office had a shop, participants also included use of the shop in addition
to postal services. In West Linton and Rogart the retail and post office services were
delivered from the same counter, while Kirkconnel had a separate counter.
Participants in each case study defined a range of services, based on their perception of
the role of their post office and its importance in their lives. For the purpose of this
report, these services have been grouped into the five categories of post office services
used by POL. The graph in figure 12 shows the percentage of participants using post
office services, as grouped within the five POL categories, and allows comparison of
services between all three case studies. The level of use by categories was relatively
consistent across all the case studies. Most noted were mail, banking, retail and travel
services, ranging from 45% in West Linton to 39% in Kirkconnel. The shop was the
second highest category of services and in both West Linton and Rogart 33% of
participants used this service, though the types of purchases differed as discussed over
the page. Bill payments were higher in Kirkconnel than in West Linton with 18% and 6%
respectively. In Rogart participants recorded nothing under segmented services 8, which
includes vehicle tax and passports, as these services are currently not available. 9
6 A Scots word meaning to chat and catch up on news in a light-hearted way.
7 As this research seeks baseline information, open questions aim to avoid leading participants.
8
These products are in conjunction with other government bodies, such as DVLA.
9 The addition of these services is one of the changes participants most wanted in their post office as, at
present, users have to travel over six miles to access these services.Percentage of participants using Post Office
counter services
33
Other Services (shop retail) 24
33
0
Segmented Products 9
12
Rogart
43
Mails, Banking, Retail, Travel 39 Kirkconnel
45
West Linton
13
Bill Payment 18
6
Benefits, Pensions & 11
10
Homecare Schemes 4
0 10 20 30 40 50
percentage
Fig 12
The original categories of post office services, as defined by participants, are shown in
appendix 3 through a series of graphs. These graphs show the breakdown under the 5
POL categories in the graph above and in order of level of usage, highest to lowest, as
listed below. [These graphs aim to indicate patterns of use not exact numbers.] From
these graphs the following comments can be made:
• Mail, Banking, Retail, Travel: buying stamps and posting letters were the highest
reported use in this category. Use of banking services was higher in both Rogart and
Kirkconnel than in West Linton, where it was negligible.
• Shop Retail: the level of purchases from the shop (figure 12) highlights the regular use
of the shop, while the type of purchases from each shop (appendix 3) highlights the
role of the shop within each community. For example, in West Linton the main
purchase were cards while in Rogart users buy everything from paraffin to bird nuts.
• Benefits, Pensions & Homecare Schemes: in all three case studies the prominent use within
this category was pensions, which seems to be in contrast to a recent campaign, as
outlined in the next section, to encourage pensioners to use the banks and not the
post offices for pension withdrawals. Child benefits and social security benefits were
a lesser category, though only Kirkconnel was used for incapacity benefit.
• Bill Payments: within this category, the focus was on the payment of utility bills.
• Segmented products: buying car tax was the main use in both West Linton and
Kirkconnel.
Note: the above comments are expanded upon in the next section: the social role of the
post offices to rural communities. One anomaly seems to appear between the
quantitative findings in this section and the qualitative findings in the next section. The
graphs in appendix 3 highlight a low level of usage of services, such as banking, while
section 4, based on participants’ comments, highlights the importance of banking, in
particular in Kirkconnel, where older residents draw their pensions. This difference reflects
the fact that level of usage does not always reflect the importance of a service to local inhabitants.4 THE SOCIAL ROLE OF POST OFFICES TO RURAL COMMUNITIES
This section highlights the main themes drawn from participants’ views on the role of
their post offices in their lives. Five main themes arose across all three case studies:
• Access to post office counter services by the community of users
• Access to financial services (financial inclusion)
• Access to services by ‘vulnerable’ groups within each community
• Post office as a hub of the community
• Importance and trust in the postmaster/staff and customer loyalty to the post
office.
Each theme is presented using direct quotes or written notes made by participants during
the study. Using quotes reflects the qualitative and exploratory nature of this study and
also reminds the reader of the authentic nature of these findings.
4.1 Access to post office counter services by the “community of users” 10
In all three case studies, the importance of access to post office services locally was
mentioned by a range of participants, with frequent use of the words “handy”, “local” and
“convenient”. One non-driver in Kirkconnel said “PO really needed in the area because [we]
would have to go to Sanquhar by bus; [which is] very inconvenient [it]… takes time waiting for bus.
Could be ¾ hour wait. Bus only goes every hour.” The post office was also recorded as an
asset for tourist businesses, in particular in Rogart.
The post office counter services, as outlined in section 3, are also used by small
businesses in the area. In West Linton it was reported that having a local post office was
useful, saved time and the post office provided a high quality service for business users.
One individual in West Linton recorded that the presence of a post office was a factor in
relocating a business to the area (see section 6).
Due to access to limited services, one businessperson in Kirkconnel expressed the
importance of the post office: “I’m stuck in Kirkconnel seven days a week running the business; if
P.O. wasn’t in the village it would be very difficult [to access postal services]”.
An additional travel restriction in winter is snowdrifts on the roads, particularly in Rogart.
One individual in West Linton wrote“ …[it’s] isolated sometimes with snowdrifts, but could walk
to the post office for things e.g. in 2001, five foot snowdrifts”. The isolated and scattered nature of
Rogart has made the post bus an integral part of the post office service, as it delivers
both postal services and groceries to the outlying areas, and, as a four-wheel drive, was
described as “always getting through, despite the weather”. In a scattered community like
Rogart the post bus is reported to provide a link to the community, particularly for
people with no transport as discussed in 4.1.2.
People living in small settlements in remote areas of Scotland often have less choice in
which services are available and travelling to larger settlements with more choice incurs
time and travel costs. [Access to post office services, as raised and discussed by
participants, unprompted, was not restricted to post office counter services but also
included the attached shop/retail unit, as highlighted in the previous section].
10 People who live, work or visit area.4.1.1 Access to financial services (financial inclusion) Access to finances locally through the post office was particularly important in Kirkconnel and Rogart, where there are no banks. Rogart also has no ATM. In contrast, Kirkconnel had a free ATM, though it is located in a pub and some participants reported that they would be reluctant to go into a pub for their money. The next free ATM is about a mile from the post office. In Kirkconnel, where 41% of households have no car (Census, 2001), one individual said that easy access to personal finances is “especially important for people on benefits who can’t afford to travel”. In Rogart, the importance of the post office in accessing finances has reportedly increased as the number of rural banks has declined. One individual said that it was “very convenient to use Alliance & Leicester through [the] PO as [the] closest bank, 8 miles away, has closed and [we have] no car”. Another highlighted that the post office was “useful for banking, as banks [were] closing in Brora and Golspie”. A similar situation was raised in Kirkconnel, where “the Co-op bank is shutting, so [the] only place to pay into is PO. Can’t pay into bank, [so] have to come here. [We] would be stuck without it”. An additional issue is the cost of travelling to another town as “Sanquhar is £1.50 on bus – it’s cost effective with the P.O. here.” In contrast to Kirkconnel and Rogart, West Linton has a bank, though it was reported that “the bank is unreliable but the P.O. is open five and a half days a week”. As banking services close down the post office becomes more important in providing financial services. Local community and charitable groups in Kirkconnel said “as a charitable society the banking charges are minimal, this is post office policy” and “the Heritage Society uses it for banking, only bank as the local bank closed some time ago”. 4.1.2 Access to services by “vulnerable” groups During this study, the groups which were highlighted to benefit most from access to post office services are also the most vulnerable: Older and disabled 11 groups of people, unemployed people or people with low income, who often have no access to private transport. Groups of Older People In Kirkconnel, which had the highest proportion of groups of older people, it was reported that “Old folks get a lot of helpful information, [which is] incredibly important” and “Phone information is not [the] same as one to one, where you can go and ask questions face to face”. The post office was also seen as a place to get advice and help with, for example, form filling (see section 4.3). It was also noted that in Kirkconnel “People at the post office are very friendly and very respectful to people living at Key Housing 12. [It is] very important for tenants to chat with people in local community and local shops”. A similar support service was highlighted in West Linton where the post office played an important role for “people with learning difficulties from Garvald 13 [and] staff”. A carer based in West Linton also noted that “a lot of carers use the PO – they can come to the PO rather than go to larger towns, where it’s very busy, therefore it’s easier to also bring in the people they 11 Definitions of disability were raised by participants i.e. blind, learning, using mobility aid. 12 Key Housing is support accommodation for groups of older people. 13 Garvald is a home for about 80 people with various learning difficulties.
care for so they’re not so isolated”. The post office was reported to provide a calm and quiet atmosphere for both those being cared for and their carers. In all three case studies, older participants noted that the post office provided more than only counter services, such as a chance to meet and interact with others as reflected in the comments below: “For some older people it’s almost therapeutic and only interaction they may have.” “It’s the only contact some people have in the village.” “Older people who can’t get out much have a blether there.” “Handy as not able to move about too far as not too good on my feet.” In Kirkconnel, one inhabitant noted that “the post office is an area for a lot of older people to get up and out. [The] community bus brings people to get pensions, then they have a cup of tea, do their shop at the local Co-op. Without [the] P.O. [there would be], no impetus [for them to go out] ”. A similar comment was recorded in West Linton: “Face to face contact with potentially isolated members of the community e.g. older people is particularly important as [the post office] performs an important social function as well as being a service provider”. In Rogart the “Community is over a big geographical area so PO and shop very important, especially as elderly population in the hills”. In West Linton it was recorded that “there are many intangible benefits in having a local post office. If an elderly person doesn’t show up for her pension the local postmaster/mistress would know”. In this situation, it was reported that the post bus or post person would be sent to the house to check that all was okay. Groups of Disabled People Individuals with different disabilities highlighted the importance of having the post office locally. In Rogart, one older lady said “It is very convenient for [me to] access [services] as I suffer from arthritis – it suits me to have such a close, handy PO that sells household items as well. Another benefit is that if [the postmaster] doesn’t have what you want he will get it for us”. The support of the post office staff was appreciated by one individual who uses mail for the blind and receives “Help with checking [that] labels are correct with plastic wallets” because “especially as I’m blind and maybe I haven’t done paperwork correctly”. In Kirkconnel, it was reported that, “in the area there is a transport problem, around 26% of the local population don’t have access to their own transport i.e. no car, no relative with a car, also the cost of transport”. In West Linton someone said “if [we] don’t have [the post office, we] would have to go into Penicuik or Biggar, [this is] difficult without a car and [we] can’t use a bus”. One participant who cared for her husband said, “If [the post office was] not here [I’d] have to go to Penicuik or Peebles. [I] can’t go far as [my] husband ill so can’t leave him for long”. Groups of Unemployed People/Low income Providing employment was noted as an important issue by some participants as one of the “services” that the post office provided or influenced by its very presence within the community. For instance in Kirkconnel someone said it was an “ex-mining community [and it’s] difficult to get jobs [due to] low aspirations, so it’s good to have jobs in the area”. One participant in West Linton also wrote “please do not close [the post office. It’s], important to employ people”. In Rogart seven comments were made directly linked to providing employment in the area:
“Good employer for locals.” “I can supply to the shop part, local produce e.g. at moment redcurrants, plants – herbs, vegetables. Fruit like raspberries – very popular locally e.g. excess produce.” “Local employment provided – lots of part-time which suits young people and older – mainly women – spreads the employment throughout the village.” “Local produce is encouraged to be sold in shop e.g. crafts, eggs, baking, handmade greeting cards, postcards from Heritage Society, Candles, Pottery.” “Part time but otherwise would have to move away or travel.” “Provides employment i.e. Post Master, local postmen, shop assistants, delivery men bring in supplies.” 4.2 Post office as a hub of the community The post offices were described as the “Mainstay in Village” and a hub or focal point, “Heart of the community”, “centre of community” and “lifeline of the village”. Furthermore it is seen as “central for people getting pensions and benefits”, particularly as these groups are less likely to have access to cars and public transport in the rural areas as reported in Kirkconnel (see page 9). In Rogart it was widely reported that the post bus and its shop delivery service offered a social benefit to the wider, less able members of the community. In Rogart, in particular, because the post office was also the only shop in the area, it was seen as “vital to the community” and an essential part of a viable community. In both West Linton and Rogart, notice boards displaying community events and news are located outside the post office. Participants reported that these boards are a useful way of disseminating information, with particular note being made to the availability of community council minutes. One topic that was consistently raised was the loss of the post office. Most participants, made comments, unprompted, about what would happen if they lost the post office. One person in Kirkconnel said there is “community sensitivity over feeling marginalized i.e. bank closed, fun pool is at Sanquhar, plus bank and health centre. If P.O. closed it would reinforce this and there’d be community backlash”. In West Linton, it was reported that the presence of a post office “provides a clear, visible message that there is a strong community” and “it is a service in the community”. The importance of links and service were also identified in West Linton as “ Rural post offices are an essential part of rural life, it is the link to the outside world. I worry about the older generation who cannot travel to get necessities”. Across all three case studies, the post office was considered to help provide a support network and was described as the focal point of community life. [The importance of the post office as an integral part of services and resources in the community is expanded in section 6]. 4.3 Importance of trust in postmaster 14/staff and customer loyalty to post office Overall participants reported that they use the post office because the postmaster is highly knowledgeable, aware of the community and “does things” in the community. The staff were also seen as important in terms of providing a good service. In all cases the service was described as “friendly” and “helpful”. In the case study areas the postmasters had been in the area for 40 years in West Linton, 10 years in Kirkconnel and nine years in West Linton [with 19 previous years in another local shop]. The postmasters were seen 14 In all three cases it was a postmaster and not postmistress.
as an integral part of the community often performing other community services such as Justice of the Peace, part-time fireman and community council representatives. The postmaster and staff were seen as important in the sense of trust and reliance and being part of the community. In Rogart one person described this in the following way: “The Post Master is very good, considerate, got his finger on the pulse of the community. If someone is ill he knows immediately”. In each case study the postmaster was described as being helpful and supportive when the form of pension payments changed in post offices from pension books to card service and a new form was introduced for direct payment through the bank. This support was seen as important for those drawing pensions as participants stated that the pension reforms made it more difficult for them to choose payments in cash at the post office. 5. WHAT COULD BE CHANGED/IMPROVED ABOUT THE POST OFFICE? 5.1 What could be changed or improved by case study area? To allow more in-depth reflection by participants of their views of the role of their post office, people were invited to share their views on which changes they would like to see in their post office. 15 Overall, there was general contentment with the quality of services provided, coupled with a highly supportive attitude towards the presence of their post office within the rural community. However, although there was a general reluctance to present the post office in a bad light, there were inevitable suggestions for improvements. Each case study highlighted site-specific suggestions for change and improvements in their post offices, though each suggestion can be traced back to the wider social role of the post office providing accessible services to inhabitants in more rural parts of Scotland. Some of the comments have similar themes around accessibility and services for vulnerable groups as outlined below. 5.1.1 West Linton case study In West Linton suggestions for change and improvement were more general with suggestions for the retail shop carrying more stationery items, making the building disability friendly and longer opening hours. Similar to the Kirkconnel case study there was a desire to be able to have passport forms checked. Four participants made comments about the banking facilities and would like more banks to deal through the post office with two suggestions for an ATM at the post office. There are some concerns in the village that the bank, which has moved to a two-day week, will close completely. One of the businesses in the village would like to be able to operate a business account through the post office. One person suggested a bigger post box by the post office as a lot of local businesses used the box and it was often full. 5.1.2 Kirkconnel case study Suggestions for improving the post office were predominantly on improving access to finances, with two specific changes being proposed. First that the cash machine installed outside the post office is fee free, which one individual felt might also encourage people to use the post office facilities more. Second, that more banks were eligible to work with the post office. Named banks were Lloyds TSB, whose nearest branch was in Cumnock, 15 This question was not used to raise expectations and no promises were made that any changes would be forthcoming. This question was presented as a wish list not a future direction of any post offices.
15 miles away, and HSBC whose nearest branch was in Carlisle 60 miles away. Some
individuals felt that the post office would benefit from a nationwide campaign on which
banks could be accessed through the post office. Others suggested a more local
campaign of advertising post office services through leaflets and posters. An additional
suggestion was passport forms, which could not be checked in Kirkconnel but this can
be done at main post offices.
5.1.3 Rogart case study
In Rogart suggestions for change and improvements focussed predominantly on
providing a facility for renewing vehicle tax for both cars and tractors. The main reason
cited was that the nearest post office which provides vehicle tax is Golspie or Dornoch.
One inhabitant wrote “this is a 20 mile round trip and can’t see why not, it’s irritating”.
However, despite this suggestion, the current postmaster is unable to provide this
service, as the outlay costs cannot be covered with the small number of vehicle taxes
required. This facility is provided in the other post office case study areas. Additional
suggestions for change focussed on the shop, which provides the community with a wide
variety of products. Four individuals suggested increasing the size of the shop and
therefore the choice of goods it could hold, with one highlighting that if they ran out of
goods the nearest shop was at Golspie (10-12 miles away). One young person requested a
more healthy choice away from crisps and chocolate. An additional suggestion advised
British Telecom to put ‘Pay at Post Office’ on the back of their bills. One comment,
which is more widely reflected in the Kirkconnel case study, suggested that it should be
easier to have pensions paid through the post office, as there are no other banking
facilities available in Rogart.
This last point was a reoccurring theme within all the areas, namely that the conversion
five or six years ago from pension books to cards and banks was very difficult,
particularly for the elderly and vulnerable. Participants commented that they were
telephoned to try and persuade them to have their pension paid into bank accounts and
had to “fight hard” to have it through the post office. It was described, by one person,
as making elderly people feel incompetent because it was made so difficult.
6. POTENTIAL FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ROLE OF POST OFFICES
TO COMMUNITIES IN RURAL SCOTLAND
During the research, various comments reflected wider social and economic factors,
which influence the perceived role of the post offices for community members, though
these influences are less tangible in nature. These factors can be divided into four
categories:
• Economic interdependency between post office services and other community
services
• Communication network through post office supports community structure
• The post office’s role in the local tourist industry
• A desire “to be green”.
6.1. Interdependency between post office services and other community
services
Across all three case studies, it was reported that the post office’s proximity to and
interaction with other services, such as other shops, has created a financialinterdependency among community services, which in turn dictates and is dictated by
inhabitants’ movement within their daily life.
Each post office in each case study is part of a cluster of services, which also serves the
post office users. As the post office and retail unit are reported to provide a joint service,
which create a financial interdependency, other services within the communities appear
to have an interdependent relationship with the post office, similar to a ‘one stop shop’,
as discussed below.
In West Linton the post office is on the main high street and is part of a ‘community of
shops’, such as the Co-operative store and newsagent (figure 13 below).
Fig.13
Participants reported that when they visit the post office they also visit the Co-operative
supermarket, newsagent, chemist and other shops, which are all located in the village’s
main street. Participants noted that the post office “brings people into the village from the
surrounding area [and it], is good to have a variety of shops”. It is also “important to have local
businesses that people can use, the village would die if the post office closed” since “the PO is a most
important part of the village infrastructure and its sustainability”.
In Kirkconnel, the situation has similarities, with a range of shops on the main street,
although not as many as in West Linton. One of the business owners said “[it] would be a
disaster if the post office shut because the days people come for [their] pension & other things … and
then to shops, [it] would be disaster for business. i.e. if [you] have to travel to get pension you’d do your
other shopping elsewhere. When [the] bank closed business fell, now the ATM point is open in
Kelloholm business is improving. [I] used to see half our customers in Sanquhar at the bank”.
In Kirkconnel, the post office is also close to another small post office in Kelloholm,
which is about two miles away.
Some participants recorded using
both post offices though some
who live in the Kelloholm area
Fig.14 only use the Kirkconnel one,
particularly the elderly when they
attend the lunch club in
Kirkconnel three times a week.
[The lunch club is a five minutes
walk from the Kirkconnel post
office.] Kirkconnel has a
population with 16% over the age
of 65 and high numbers of non-
car users (Census, 2001).
Participants in Kirkconnel
highlighted the social element of
people picking up their pensions
then using other services before going on to the lunch club.The lunch club bus travels around the community, picking up people and enables them to “pick up their messages”. This bus route is part of a loop, which passes various services, which includes the post office (figure 14). For example, the bus stops at the post office, where the pension is picked up then people go on to the newsagent, then to the chemist to collect any prescriptions, the Co-op for food then to the café, perhaps for a coffee, finally finishing at the lunch club, which was reported to be an important social event in each member’s week. The bus then picked them up from the lunch club and did the loop back to their homes. The domino effect of one of this cluster of services closing on the other services was witnessed when the bank first shut around ten years ago, people had to go to Sanquhar for their money and then would also shop there. With more banking services available at the post office and the ATM’s opening this is having a more positive effect. In Rogart the post office sits at the physical hub of Fig.15 the community (figure 15) with the garage and the local Inn. The local vet is close and the railway station, with three trains a day, is five minutes walk away. The post bus is an important part of the post office services, as it not only carries people but also delivers additional services, such as newspapers, prescriptions and parcels to the outlying, scattered community. One participant in Rogart said “It is part of the framework of a thriving rural community and if the Scottish Executive wants to encourage repopulation of the Highlands then they need to encourage local shops/post offices which enable people to live in the country and offer much needed jobs”. Rogart also lies on the A839, which is the link road from east to west, from the A9 across country via Lairg to Durness, Ullapool and other communities on the northwest coast. As a result, the post office and shop serves the passing trade of tourists and workers in the area. 6.2. Communication network through post office supports community structure The post office’s role as the hub of the community has developed an active communication network, which supports and develops the structure of the community. One participant in Rogart reported: “the role of rural POs is different to urban ones. You’re out in the sticks and you have to offer more, doing the job of 3-4 different outlets – PO, bank, grocery, hardware plus can deliver to elderly people in the area who don’t have transport. Because it offers these it is a focal point”. In Kirkconnel it was reported that people arrive at the post office five minutes before it opens so that can “have a blether”, while in Rogart it was reported that “the post office and shop is the keystone to the local community spirit which exists in Rogart”.
As reported by participants in all three case studies, having a post office also “provides a clear, visible message that there is a strong community”, which can allow a community to feel safer and more confident. As reported in Rogart, post office staff are well regarded “because people often come here everyday and if they don’t turn up, someone would go and check from [the] PO”. In both Rogart and West Linton, it was reported that the postmaster also notices if people don’t come to collect their pensions, while the ‘postie’ will also check on his rounds if people need assistance and arrange help. For a small fee, the Rogart post bus delivers messages for local inhabitants and, as mentioned earlier, delivers goods to those who can’t always travel to the post office. One participant in Kirkconnel said “Community couldn’t function without [the post office, in part because of the] service it provides i.e. welfare benefits”. The above two factors which influence the role of the post office were common across all three case studies, though as discussed under 4.1.2, the communication network was particularly evident in Rogart due to the scattered nature of the community and its many outlying households. The following two potential factors were specific to one or two of the case studies and were mentioned less. 6.3. Role in the local tourist industry West Linton and Rogart are located in two beauty spots of Scotland, and are on the tourist trail. As a result the post office provides informal information and support to passing tourists, transforming the post office into an unofficial tourist information place. Participants’ comments on this topic were more predominant in Rogart, where the shop stocks a range of goods to suit the tourist industry, in particular for tourists staying in local hunting lodges and estates. 6.4. A desire to “be green” In West Linton, a few participants reported that if they used their local post office they would not have to use their car, and “we are encouraged to be aware of the environment, so to be able to walk, cycle or even [to] drive a short distance is environmentally sound”. This rationale is clearly different from more vulnerable groups who are unable to, or reluctant to, use a car due to low income or disability.
7. CONCLUSIONS
This research was set up to explore why rural communities use their post offices in three
communities in Scotland: West Linton, Scottish Borders (accessible rural), Kirkconnel,
Dumfries & Galloway (remote rural) and Rogart, Sutherland (very remote rural).
Using a participatory approach, this wide remit has produced two main categories of use
of post office services. First, participants in all three case studies use traditional counter
services citing 55 services in all. These 55 services were divided into POL’s five
categories of uses to aid future comparative research. One POL category is the attached
retail unit (shop) and, from participants’ responses, a clear answer emerged on the sub-
objective of this report: what is the relative importance of the retail unit to users? The
shop was a predominant and important service in the most remote case study in Rogart
in Sutherland, reflecting the overall conclusion that the more remote the post office from
other settlements and services the more important the retail unit is to local inhabitants.
The second category evolved from an underlying question of this study: is there a social
role to the post offices in rural Scotland, to which the overriding answer was “yes”. Five
main themes emerged on the social role of rural post offices:
1. In all three case studies the post office provided access to post office services to
community members who are restricted from using other services due to their
geographical location, regardless of income or physical well being.
2. The post office promotes financial inclusion among these three communities through
providing access to financial services where there is no bank or the bank operates
two days a week.
3. Accessing these post office services locally is reported to be useful by more vulnerable groups
of the communities, such as groups of older people, who draw their pension
from the post office, groups of disabled people who cannot always travel far or
prefer/require face to face service support and inhabitants with no transport,
whether due to lack of income or inability to drive, which is exacerbated by a
poor bus services across all three case studies.
4. The post office has been cited as the hub of the community, providing a place to
meet and an informal communication network. This was particularly important
in Rogart due to the scattered nature of the community.
5. The postmaster and their staff played an important part in the community and in all three
studies participants reported the advice and support provided by these individuals
went beyond customer counter duties to wider community roles. Their actions
are reported to make them figures of trust and created a loyalty to actively using
the post office, in particular in Rogart and West Linton, where users commuting
to work in Edinburgh have access to other post offices.You can also read
