THE owner of the empty One Stop shop premises in High Street, Wellington, has offered a big incentive to any company which wants to open up Post Office facilities in the town centre – free rent for the first year of operation.

Michael Tucker believes it is imperative that a Post Office re-opens in Wellington in order to breathe new life into the town.

The WWN reported last week that a new location for the Post Office was still to be found two-and-a-half years after it closed at the One Stop shop in August 2019.

But, ironically, the owner of the former One Stop premises, which closed shortly after the Post Office’s departure, is now offering a potential lifeline. Mr Tucker said he would be willing to offer support financially – along with the backing of Wellington Town Council – if someone like W.H. Smith wanted to move into the old One Stop premises and provide a Post Office outlet.

Last week Cllr Andrew Govier, who represents Wellington and Rockwell Green at Somerset County Council, told the WWN it was proving difficult finding anyone interested in opening a Post Office in the town and added that another problem was that businesses such as W.H. Smith, which hosts Post Offices in other venues, did not have the space in its existing Fore Street store to accommodate it.

But Mr Tucker says he would warmly welcome W.H. Smith – or any other major company – to speak to him about utilising his vacant premises with the proviso that opening a Post Office facility was part of the deal.

“I would be willing to help support financially, along with Wellington Town Council, if someone like W.H. Smith wanted to move to bigger premises where it can house the Post Office facility,” said Mr Tucker.

“I would be willing to waive the first year’s rent for someone like W.H. Smith or a large PLC company.”

Mr Tucker said he was a ‘strong believer’ in the theory that a town centre benefits from having a Post Office presence as it would bring people into the heart of Wellington to do their shopping.

He bought the former One Stop store at auction last year for £149,000.

Members of Wellington Town Council have been keen to see a Post Office reinstated in the town.

Back in September 2020 they talked about opening their own Post Office branch and getting someone to operate it on behalf of the authority.