英国TG Jones连锁店内超三分之一邮局将关闭

英国TG Jones连锁店内的邮局网络正在经历大规模收缩。1根据邮局记录分析，今年已有36家分支关闭，另有34家将在2027年初前关闭。1Modella私募股权于去年收购该连锁店并更名为TG Jones，当时运营180家邮局。1在Modella收购的450家店铺中，预计将关闭150家，其中约110家的关闭已宣布，包含约70家邮局。1

关闭涉及多个地区。1Stevenage、Bracknell、Orpington等城镇各失去两家邮局，Telford的最后一家邮局将于1月关闭。1从地域分布看，Essex地区6家、West Midlands地区5家、Wales地区4家TG Jones店内邮局已宣布关闭。1仅Stirling在TG Jones关闭后重新开设了邮局，Ipswich的永久替代分支将于11月开放。1

邮局工会CWU高级成员Mole Meade对这些关闭表示担忧，称这些关闭将使一些地区成为"邮政沙漠"。1Meade指出："我们看到的TG Jones关闭延续了长期削减成本、追求利润的战略，对依赖邮局服务的社区关注甚少。"1这波关闭延续了英国邮政网络的长期收缩趋势。1英国已有6800多家银行分支关闭，邮局在维护基本金融服务方面发挥关键作用。1约三分之一的中小企业至少每周使用当地邮局一次，超过一半至少每月使用一次。1

Over one-third of post offices operating within TG Jones chain stores will shut their doors by early 2027, according to analysis of post office records by the Guardian. 1 So far this year, 36 branches have already closed, with a further 34 planned to cease operations before early 2027. 1 The closures span multiple regions across the United Kingdom, affecting towns including Stevenage, Bracknell, and Orpington, where local communities will lose access to essential postal services. 1

The wave of closures reflects the circumstances facing the TG Jones chain following its acquisition by private equity firm Modella last year. 1 Before the takeover and rebranding, the chain operated 180 post offices across its stores. 1 Of the 450 stores Modella acquired, approximately 150 are expected to close overall, with around 110 closures already announced—including roughly 70 post office locations. 1 Specific regions have been heavily impacted: Essex will lose six TG Jones post offices, West Midlands five, and Wales four, while Telford will lose its final branch by January. 1 Limited relief has emerged in only two locations; Stirling has since reopened a post office following the TG Jones closure, and Ipswich is due to open a permanent replacement branch in November. 1

The closures have drawn criticism from postal unions concerned about their wider impact on vulnerable communities. 1 Mole Meade, a senior official with the Communication Workers Union (CWU), characterized the trend as creating "postal deserts" in some areas. 1 Meade stated: "What we are seeing with TG Jones closures continues a long-term strategy of cost-cutting and profit-chasing with little regard for communities that depend on post office services." 1 The concern is particularly acute given the parallel collapse of banking infrastructure; Britain has witnessed the closure of over 6,800 bank branches, leaving post offices increasingly vital for maintaining access to basic financial services. 1 Research indicates that approximately one-third of small and medium-sized enterprises use their local post office at least weekly, with more than half visiting at least monthly. 1