Local MP Vikki Slade has held an emergency meeting with senior Post Office figures over the sudden closure of the main Post Office in Wareham, Dorset, which leaves the town with very limited access to banking and cash.
Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, which includes Wareham, has demanded urgent answers from them over the future of the North Street post office, which closed unexpectedly on Monday 7th September, 2026, and has remained shut ever since.
Vikki Slade, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, with Dorset councillor for Wareham Beryl Ezzard
Customers say the situation is disgraceful
Following the closure of Lloyds Bank in South Street in June 2026, Wareham is now only left with the Nationwide Building Society, itself only open for three days a week, for face to face financial transactions.
A notice taped to the door of the post office apologising for the closure suggests the Carey Road post office a mile out of the town centre as an alternative, although it offers fewer services – including no passports, travel money, vehicle tax or travel insurance.
Other than that, it suggests customers should go to Corfe Castle Post Office, more than four miles away, or Upton Post Office near Poole and some six miles outside Wareham.
Customers, many of them elderly and with no private transport, have called the situation disgraceful and say they have been left in limbo after almost a month with no easy access to vital services.
A notice taped to the locked door of the North Street Post Office is the only communication with locals, whose own letters have been removed
Letters of complaint removed
It has emerged that the main branch in North Street may not reopen, with the Post Office looking to talk to other potential retail partners who might be interested in running a branch in their store.
In the meantime, Wareham Town Council is investigating the possibility of hosting a satellite Post Office in the Town Hall, a temporary solution to provide residents with access to essential postal and banking services in the town centre while a permanent solution is found.
Letters of complaint written by Wareham residents have been removed from outside the Post Office, and there’s a growing sense of anger that locals are being kept in the dark about the vital services which have been lost to the town.
One local said:
“We have a right to express our opinion about the disgraceful situation at the Post Office and would like to know what they intend to do about it – their website tells us nothing.”
Lloyds Bank in South Street, Wareham, closed in June 2026, leaving the town with very little banking choice
“Causing real concern”
Vikki Slade said:
“The closure of Wareham Post Office is extremely disappointing. Post Offices provide vital services for local residents, particularly older and more vulnerable people, those without access to private transport, and many local businesses and community organisations.
“The nearest alternatives in Carey and Corfe Castle are simply not practical for many residents.
“Following the closure of Lloyds Bank earlier this year, many people rely on their local Post Office for everyday banking and access to cash, and the unexpected closure of the main branch in North Street is causing real concern.
“Wareham now has limited cash machines serving the town and the local Nationwide branch is only open three days a week.
“Given the changes to local banking provision, I have asked whether the circumstances now meet the criteria for additional access to cash services and whether this should change the approach being taken to the future of the Post Office.”
The Post Office may not reopen in North Street, as the company looks for potential retail partners to open a branch in their own store
“Independent access to cash review”
Vikki Slade added:
“I have also begun making enquiries into an independent access to cash review because residents deserve reassurance that their banking needs are being properly considered.
“It is encouraging that discussions are taking place with potential new operators, but the best outcome for Wareham would be to see the Post Office reopen in its existing North Street premises as quickly as possible.
“I have asked for an urgent update on their plans to restore services and raised concerns about whether adequate contingency planning was in place ahead of the closure.
“I have learned that the landlord of the current premises has been holding the building available while a replacement operator is sought.
“What I want to know is what steps were taken to prepare for a potential change in postmaster, what contingency arrangements were considered, and whether any funding assistance or grants are available to help secure a new operator and maintain services in the current location.”
The Post Office says it is working hard to restore services in Wareham
“We apologise for any inconvenience”
A Post Office spokesperson said:
“Wareham Post Office regrettably closed on Monday 7th September due to operational reasons. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may be causing our customers.
“We know how important a Post Office is to the community and we are working hard to restore services in the area as soon as possible.
“We would welcome applications from potential retail partners interested in running a branch locally. The vacancy is currently being advertised on our website runapostoffice.co.uk.
“In the interim, alternative branches include Carey Estate, Corfe Castle and Upton, and there is also a Drop and Collect branch for prepaid parcels and collections at Sandford Road, Sandford.”
Dorset Councillor for Wareham Beryl Ezzard is looking at all options to provide Post Office access in Wareham town centre
“Frustration and disappointment”
Dorset councillor for the Wareham ward, Beryl Ezzard said:
“The closure of the Wareham Post Office has caused frustration and disappointment for the Wareham community, and it’s only recently we had notification of it being a long term closure.
“The process to enable another franchise will take months. It is therefore important that we look at every available option to ensure residents can continue to access vital services locally.
“It’s a double whammy for Wareham after Lloyds Bank closed in June, saying that the Post Office would still be able to process cash. We lost the Lloyds ATM at the same time, and although Nationwide is having one put in, we don’t know when that will happen.
“People are justly frustrated. We have an older population in this ward, 30 percent over 65 years old, and 15 percent of people not on line nor even on telephone banking, it’s a lot of hardship for them, especially when a lot have mobility problems too.”
Further information
- More on the Post Office will be on Wareham Town Council’s website
- Apply to take on the franchise on the Post Office site
- Vikki Slade MP can be contacted through her website
