UPDATE: |The eight Post Office branches in Greater Manchester set to be impacted by franchising plans – full list News

It comes as 108 branches are set to be affected by plans to franchise the remaining Post Office branches

The Post Office has announced it will be franchising 108 branches still directly owned – including eight in Greater Manchester.

This announcement comes as a part of efforts made by the Post Office to generate cash to help increase pay for postmasters. It comes after the organisation, which has already undergone a significant overhaul since the impact of the Horizon IT scandal when hundreds of sub postmasters were wrongfully convicted, announced a review of the branches late last year.

Across the remaining 108 branches, around 1,000 workers will be affected, but the Post Office has said they anticipate the majority of branches will be franchised on site. And where that doesn’t happen, the franchise will move to a location close by.

Post Office chair Nigel Railton 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.

“By franchising these branches, we are protecting access to our services for communities right across the UK and realising £40 million worth of savings that will enable us to uplift postmasters’ remuneration by up to 10%.

“Over the coming months, we will continue to work with our unions to ensure that we treat our staff working in these 108 branches with care and respect through this transition, consulting with them on proposed changes.

“The 108 Post Offices will either stay in the same location where possible or be located close to the existing location, meaning customers will continue to have access to a full suite of products and services.”

The Post Office has confirmed that they will work with franchise partners with a clear track record of successfully running Post Office services or similar customer-focused retail to ensure that communities in these 108 locations will continue to receive a high quality of service once their Directly Managed branch gets franchised.

Aside from the eight Greater Manchester branches set to be franchised are 35 Post Offices in London, seven in Yorkshire and five in Wales.

Full list of Greater Manchester branches affected

1. Barnes Green – Lee Road, Manchester
2. Didsbury Village – Albert Hill Street, Didsbury, Greater Manchester
3. Eccles – Church Street, Eccles, Greater Manchester
4. Hyde – Market Place, Hyde, Greater Manchester
5. Leigh – Silk Street, Leigh, Greater Manchester
6. Prestwich – Kingswood Road, Prestwich, Greater Manchester
7. Salford City – Rossall Way, Salford, Greater Manchester
8. Stockport – Great Underbank, Stockport, Greater Manchester