Rochdale post office may become restaurant and bar

The Grade II listed Georgian building housing the post office on The Esplanade in Rochdale could be turned into a restaurant and bar.

The council granted planning permission last week and Manchester based developer Hurstwood will use the change of use to market the building.

Mark Carling, Sales director at Hurstwood, said: “We are marketing the building as a bar or restaurant space but we are really keeping our options open in terms of what it will become.”

It is understood that Post Office bosses will open a new branch in Rochdale town centre. The identity of the new site is currently unknown but is hoped that the new post office will be close to the current site.

A spokesperson for the Post office said: “Rochdale Post Office is not closing. It is currently operated by a temporary sub postmaster and Post Office Ltd is now assessing interest from a number of potential new operators who wish to take on the service for the long term.

“Customers should be assured that the Post Office is committed to maintaining a Post Office service in the area. The current service will continue to operate until an agreement is reached with a permanent agent. If this results in a proposal to relocate the branch, any such relocation would be subject to a full public consultation.”

The Grade II listed Georgian building first opened as a post office in 1927. It then relocated to Woolworths on Yorkshire Street in the mid 1990s before moving back to its original site in 2005.