FRUSTRATED residents of a Worcestershire village say they are not receiving the post office services they were promised.

Bishampton, near Pershore, was chosen as one of eight locations to take part in the Post Office local trial following the community take-over of the village shop last year. People say that the scheme promised to provide 95 per cent of the sub post office services in a simpler way, allowing for greater convenience.

But they feel the change has so far turned out to be a “radical downgrade”. Don Cheetham, chairman of Bishampton and Throckmorton Parish Council, said villagers were unable to carry out some transactions while the scheme was not proving viable for the shopkeeper. “The shop is brilliant but as far as the Post Office is concerned, they want out,” he said.

“The scheme is in a trial stage but the indications we get are [the Post Office] don’t expect to make any significant changes.

“You’re going to the post office and you ask for something they can’t serve you – it doesn’t go down well. The residents and the shopkeeper are just as frustrated as each other.”

Mr Cheetham said that they were not alone in their complaints. A report carried out by Consumer Focus highlighted the limited services offered by the scheme, adding improvements needed to be made.

A Post Office spokesman said the scheme was a way of providing more convenient opening hours and was intended to enable the operator to make a good return on running the Post Office within the store.

“We have met representatives of the parish council to discuss their concerns and will continue to work closely with our stakeholders as we evaluate the pilots” he said.

“This will ensure that the approach is fully fit for purpose for both our customers and for the agents who deliver the service on behalf of Post Office Ltd. By creating a more convenient offer to our customers, the Post Office local approach has the potential to play its part in sustaining the current Post Office network into the future.”

Some of the problems that villagers claim they are facing include: Not able make payments and withdrawals; not able to pay bills; pensions have to be paid from general shop takings and then are refunded by the Post Office 48 hours later; not able to buy foreign currency; and incorrect information given through the Post Office helpline.