Postmaster retires after 19 years in Bomere Heath

John Ashton has run Bomere Heath post office for 19 years

A Shropshire postmaster is retiring after 19 years running his branch.

John Ashton started at Haresfinch Post Office, in St Helens, Merseyside, before moving to take over the branch at Bomere Heath, near Shrewsbury.

The post office and cards and stationery shop closes to the public on Wednesday and will be sold as a house.

Mr Ashton said: "The best things about working in post offices are the people that you meet and that no two days are the same."

The post office is to be sold as a house

A third generation postmaster, Mr Ashton's grandfather, then father, ran Haresfinch Post Office.

He initially joined that branch as a clerk until his father retired and he then became the postmaster too.

When he married he sold the business to move to Shrewsbury, where he did relief work in post offices across the town for many years, before taking over at Bomere Heath.

"Customers don't want me to retire, but even before the pandemic came I was thinking of retiring as I can't carry on working forever," he said.

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Post Office area manager Adam Shillcock said it was "amazing" Mr Ashton had spent all his working life in the industry.

"I wish him a well-earned retirement after devoting so many years to the Post Office," he said.

Mr Ashton said he was looking forward to having more time for his churchwarden duties in Bayston Hill, where he lives, and for his hobby of archery.

Mr Ashton says one of the best parts of his job is the people he meets