- Dr Scott Arthur MP performs the official opening
- Open at Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2SW
- Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm
- 51 hours of Post Office service per week
- Branch now open on Saturday afternoons
- Experienced postmasters
Dr Scott Arthur MP for Edinburgh South West “cut the ribbon” (17/10) to mark the official opening of Wester Hailes Post Office at its new location – Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2SW.
Experienced postmasters are father and son, Mohammed and Aamir Arshad have run Plaza News, a hardware and convenience store, since 2016. Previously they ran Whitecraig Post Office and off-licence store in Musselburgh for six years.
Dr Scott Arthur MP said: “I want to thank Mohammed and Aamir Arshad for taking on Wester Hailes Post Office inside their well-established store, close to the previous branch, meaning customers are already familiar with the shopping centre, parking and bus routes.
”This Post Office fits in well with the store design. The layout is spacious and accessible, and with Mohammed and Aamir’s experience running a previous Post Office, they’ve hit the ground running.”
Wester Hailes Post Office had been directly managed by Post Office. As part of Post Office’s wider commitment to deliver a “New Deal for Postmasters” with increased remuneration, the Post Office is franchising all remaining 108 Directly Managed Branches which will create a long-term, sustainable future for post offices across the UK.
This branch in Wester Hailes is the first of the 108 to relocate. It remains within the same shopping centre. There is a car park at the shopping center with dedicated disabled parking bays on upper level where the new branch is located.
Wester Hailes Post Office has two open plan serving positions, neatly added to the line of retail counters. The store has wide aisles, designed to make it easier for people with mobility scooters, wheelchairs, walking frames, pushchairs or prams to manoeuvre.
Postmaster Aamir Arshad said: “Our existing customers were really pleased that we were taking on Wester Hailes Post Office under one roof. We have had lots of people saying that they are very grateful that the branch is here and we have also had thank you cards.
“People are happy with the spacious layout in the aisles, so there is room for someone in a wheelchair and a pushchair to pass side by side.
“We are also seeing lots of new customers who we had not seen before, who have also been impressed with our existing retail offer in our hardware and convenience store, so those sales have increased too.
“We are giving everyone a warm welcome. People are surprised to hear about my previous experience of running a branch. I was only young when I started with my Dad. Now my 20-year-old brother Adam, has just joined us too, so he is about my age when I started. He’s taken to it really well.
“Extra staff are also being Post Office trained ready for the really busy Christmas period.”
Opening hours are: Monday – Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm. This is an extra 5 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service a week including Saturday afternoon and earlier opening on a Tuesday morning, making it more convenient for customers to visit.
The same range of Post Office services are available, including an internal ATM. Customers have the choice of Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DPD and Evri services to buy in branch, drop offs and collections. It’s very easy for people to do their personal and business banking, bill payment and a full range of currencies on demand.
There is passport check and send, vehicle tax ID verification services and Western Union international money transfers.
