Kettering Post Office staff will be ‘fully supported’ as franchise plan announced for Lower Street branch
Plans for Kettering Post Office to remain in the town centre as a franchise have been revealed.
The UK’s last remaining 108 directly managed branches, including Northamptonshire's sole Crown Post Office in Kettering’s Lower Street, will all be run as franchises announced as part of The Post Office’s commitment to deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’.
Kettering Post Office – along with 55 others branches – will change hands and be operated from the same premises where they are currently located while the long-term arrangements for the branch are finalised.
A Post Office spokesman said: “Moving to a fully franchised network is one part of enabling the Post Office to deliver a ‘New Deal for Postmasters’, helping to create a long-term, sustainable future for the Post Office.
"Our proposed franchise plans mean branches will continue to operate from the same premises while the long-term permanent proposal is confirmed, with customers being able to continue accessing the same products and services with the same opening hours.”
Ms Wrighting said: “Having raised this with ministers I’m happy to see that Post Office services are remaining in Kettering and that services and hours will not be reduced.
“I know how important this is to constituents and I will be seeking a meeting with ZCO to discuss their plans for the site.”
The Post Office says it has focused on selecting candidates to operate these last remaining directly managed branches that have a ‘clear track record of successfully running branches’ with applicants’ business plans, balance sheet strength and funding availability being assessed as part of the process.
Set to take on the Kettering branch is Bolton-based ZCO Ltd that already operates 21 Post Offices across the UK, which were all former directly managed Post Offices, as well as four banking hubs.
A letter to Post Office customers has assured that Post Office staff will be ‘fully supported’ throughout the franchise process.
It said: “As with any proposed branch change, we understand that customers are often concerned about the impact of such changes on staff. Please be assured that our staff will be fully supported throughout this process.
“Any person employed to work in Kettering Post Office will be trained to the highest Post Office standards and the branch staff will receive on-going training on all services, as well as general operational and service-related matters.”
The letter added: “Whilst we have made our decision and therefore, we are not inviting feedback on this change, any relevant information we receive will be considered as we finalise our plans.
“Once the change has happened, we will continue to work with our retail franchise partner to review if the current branch or a new nearby location is the right long-term branch premises. Any proposed move to new location is unlikely to be before spring 2026 and would be subject to local public consultation in line with our principals of community engagement.”
ZCO was founded in 2014 by Zubeir Patel and is run by managing director is Tan Musa. A sister company, called Potent Solutions, set up in 2008, operates Post Office branches on a temporary basis to maintain service to communities. However, it is ZCO that is taking on these new franchised branches.
The retail alongside their branches is traditionally cards and stationery. Bespoke retail also has included luggage and luggage accessories, souvenirs and beach equipment, depending upon each unique location.