The village of Hellifield in North Yorkshire has suffered the loss of its Post Office after the historic family-run clothes shop that housed it closed its doors for good on Thursday, June 2, ending 130 years of service to the community.
The shop, Ahernes of Hellifield, was established in 1895 and had been a fixture in the village for generations. Owner Sarah Alexander cited rising costs and the growing dominance of online shopping as key factors behind the closure. The landlord sold the premises, forcing the business to shut down.
Post Office closure leaves locals with long journeys
With the shop's closure, the Post Office branch inside it has also permanently closed. Residents of Hellifield, which has a population of around 1,500, now face travelling approximately two miles to the nearest alternative branch in Long Preston, or four miles to the branch in Airton.
The Post Office has confirmed that it is actively seeking new retailers to host a franchise in the village. A spokesperson said: "Hellifield Post Office is closing today (Thursday) as the clothes store where the branch is based is soon closing, with the landlord selling the premises. We want to thank the postmistress for running this branch for more than 10 years."
Efforts to find a new location
The Post Office has advertised the vacancy on its website runapostoffice.co.uk. According to the Craven Herald, two previous inquiries to take over the branch were received but neither was deemed suitable due to a lack of suitable premises. The building itself, which had a guide price of £250,000, is currently under offer.
The spokesperson added: "We would still like to hear from local retailers who are interested in this business opportunity. We have received interest from a couple of retailers, however, suitable premises are required. In the interim alternative branches include Long Preston which is 1.8 miles away and Airton, which is four miles away."
