THE POST OFFICE has announced a temporary solution after the Helmsley office closed without prior warning.

Costcutter in Helmsley, which also offered essential Post Office services, closed in August without prior warning or information given to the public or staff.

Staff were informed of the closure via text message on a Sunday evening, informing them that the Post Office would not open its doors in the morning.

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We are introducing a temporary solution this week to restore Post Office services to Helmsley after the unplanned closure of the branch in August.

“A Mobile Post Office will visit Market Square on a Thursday from 5pm to 6pm and on a Friday from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. The Postmistress for Kirkbymoorside will provide this service. She already serves 11 communities, and these are her available time slots.

“We know how important a Post Office is to this community and we continue to work towards restoring a permanent, full-time, solution at the current location as soon as possible.

“In the meantime other branches include Ampleforth and Kirkbymoorside.”

As reported by the Gazette and Herald, Helmsley's County Councillor George Jabbour, met with Helmsley residents on September 29 to highlight the importance of the service in the town.

Residents held signs with messages to Cost Cutter and the Post Office, such as: “Re-open our Post Office”, “Helmsley deserves a Post Office”, “Costcutter & Post Office, please act now”, “Stop messing us about”, and “Get on with it!”

Cllr George Jabbour said:"I am glad that our discussions with the Post Office about a temporary solution have come to fruition. 

"This is only a short-term measure to help local residents with Post Office services in Helmsley until a permanent full-time provision is secured. 

"I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all the residents of Helmsley who joined me last week outside the Post Office to support this critical campaign."

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, said: "I welcome the temporary mobile arrangement, but this still leaves many without access to vital post office and banking services.

"I have been in contact with the Managing Director of Bestway, the owners of the Costcutter brand, to stress the problems the community is facing and press for an urgent resolution.

"As the previous operator has now gone into administration it is not clear when the problem will be resolved but I am confident that a new operator will reopen the shop as soon as these matters are resolved."