A woman I don't know is bending the ear of the proprietor of Castle Bell. She's unhappy. And the focus of her ire? Our sub-postmaster, Huw Hilditch-Roberts. The newsagent customer feels that it's "disgusting" that the post office doesn't open today, a Saturday. "It's a public service, you know".
To be fair to Castle Bell's Graham Hardinge, he plays a straight bat and if anything leans towards Hilditch-Roberts. Hardinge points out that the post office may occupy the building but it's actually a business rather than a public service.
Well, that does not shut the customer up. No, no, no. It seems that county councillor Hilditch-Roberts closed Dinbych sub-post office "because there's no votes in Denbigh". That may or may not be true. But we all know that the margins at a sub-post office are slim—even with the extra banking business it now generates (which, some argue, gives little return for the additional effort). Hilditch-Roberts now runs Rhuthun/Ruthin sub-post office single handed and has done so since lockdown. The people of Rhuthun may either love or hate Hilditch-Roberts but they surely must acknowledge his hard work. Even though originally he only asked for people with "essential transactions" to visit. Surely, you don't tend to pop into a post office for anything other.
Interestingly, the customer does not mention that Castle Bell hasn't always been open during lockdown.
Intriguingly, Hardinge has bought some clippers and has given himself a much needed haircut. His was looking rather woolly!
Rhuthun Post Office as seen behind the pillar box with its newly affixed priority sticker
To be fair to Castle Bell's Graham Hardinge, he plays a straight bat and if anything leans towards Hilditch-Roberts. Hardinge points out that the post office may occupy the building but it's actually a business rather than a public service.
Well, that does not shut the customer up. No, no, no. It seems that county councillor Hilditch-Roberts closed Dinbych sub-post office "because there's no votes in Denbigh". That may or may not be true. But we all know that the margins at a sub-post office are slim—even with the extra banking business it now generates (which, some argue, gives little return for the additional effort). Hilditch-Roberts now runs Rhuthun/Ruthin sub-post office single handed and has done so since lockdown. The people of Rhuthun may either love or hate Hilditch-Roberts but they surely must acknowledge his hard work. Even though originally he only asked for people with "essential transactions" to visit. Surely, you don't tend to pop into a post office for anything other.
Interestingly, the customer does not mention that Castle Bell hasn't always been open during lockdown.
Intriguingly, Hardinge has bought some clippers and has given himself a much needed haircut. His was looking rather woolly!