POST Office bosses have been slammed over a lack of progress on finding a replacement for a Barrhead branch that will close this weekend.

The shutters will come down on the McColl’s store in the town’s Main Street, including its Post Office outlet, on Sunday.

Representatives from the Save The Post Office campaign have pledged to continue fighting the loss of the amenity.

And they have accused Post Office chiefs of neglecting the Barrhead community by failing to communicate future plans for services in the town.

A spokesman for the campaign said: “The Post Office stated early on that it wanted to keep an outlet in or near Main Street, but there has been no communication with the public here, with McColl’s now set to close on Sunday.

“This will be devastating for the centre of Barrhead, especially for regular users such as the elderly. The Post Office is a real lifeline.”

The closure of the McColl’s store was announced 10 weeks ago and, at a meeting of Barrhead Community Council last month, representatives from the Post Office said there had been interest from other shop owners who were keen to offer a similar service.

The Barrhead News understands at least two local stores have made their interest known to the Post Office about hosting the Main Street outlet.

However, it is feared it could take months or even years to get the replacement service up and running, meaning a significant gap in the town’s postal services.

The campaign spokesman added: “Those people and businesses who have put in notices of interest say they have not heard anything in reply.

“The centre of Barrhead is depressed enough in Main Street without this closure, so we’re not going to go away until this is sorted.”

A Post Office spokeswoman said: “We would  like to reassure our customers we are committed to maintaining a Post Office service in the area and are assessing options to ensure these vital services 
– from everyday banking to a wide range of postal services – are sustained for the local community.

“Any retailer or small business owner interested in running the Post Office and incorporating it into their business should ring 0845 266 8790 and talk to an adviser or email NTquestions@postoffice.co.uk or see www.runapostoffice.co.uk.”