Kilchoan community celebrate opening of new Post Office

New postmaster Richard Johnson, who played a role in coordinating the establishment of the new branch, acknowledged the difficulties the residents have faced recently.

"There’s a real buzz of excitement that Kilchoan Post Office is opening for essential mail services and banking," he said.

"It’s been a 45-minute drive there and back for the nearest Post Office, or a 35-minute ferry ride to Tobermory.

"This is a remote, rural, location and it’s a beautiful place to live, but since October it has been an hour’s drive each way for a bank, supermarket or fuel, which is why people have rallied round to find ways to try to restore services, starting with the Post Office and then a shop and fuel station to follow.

"People are excited that we have reached the first milestone."

Monday’s welcome milestone followed a huge amount of hard work and is just the beginning of a series of vital improvements in store for Kilchoan thanks to the efforts of the West Ardnamurchan Community Development Company (WACDC) which has spearheaded a community project to bring essential services back to the village, including a new village shop, fuel pumps and the Post Office.

"On behalf of the development company, we would just like to say a big thank you to Richard, who has stepped up to be the postmaster, and allowed for this service to come back to our community," said vice chair of WADCC Rosie McLachlan.

The new Post Office is the most westerly branch on the UK mainland and is located just across from the site of the new community shop and fuel station which are currently under construction.

From its premises in the community centre, the Kilchoan Post Office will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am until 11am, with the possibility of increasing these hours if there is sufficient demand.

Post Office retail capability specialist Sharon Clark said: "We know how important a post office is to a community and that’s even more crucial when it is far to the next nearest branch.

"We have been working hard to help restore service as soon as possible. The incoming postmaster has shown genuine enthusiasm from the outset, and this community has rallied to the cause to help bring vital mail and banking services back to the heart of this community."