Concerns have been raised that elderly people will struggle to send mail and collect their pensions when a convenience store closes in Wyke Regis.

McColl’s on Portland Road is set to close at the end of this month.

Meanwhile the operator for the Post Office branch in store has resigned.

Residents are concerned about the impact it will have on elderly residents, who will have to travel up to two miles to visit another branch.

Rosemary Smith, aged 85 from Wyke Regis, said: “There’s a lot of elderly people about who don’t find it that easy to get into town and certainly don’t have cars, so they’re very thankful to have a local Post Office.

“It would be nice if we could keep a local Post Office. The ones in town aren’t nearly as convenient. If you have a car it doesn’t matter but if you don’t have one and you’re elderly, then it does.”

She claimed that she was told to contact Co-op’s headquarters because there is a chance that they may take on a Post Office branch in its Portland Road store.

However, a spokesman for Co-op told the Echo that there are no plans for a Post Office to be added to the Portland Road store.

Cllr Kate Wheller, who represents Wyke Regis on Weymouth Town Council, said she has been encouraging residents to get in contact with the Co-op to encourage them to bid for a local Post Office branch.

She said: “If the Co-op won’t take it on then certainly Tesco’s could. We would hope that one or the other of them would make a bid, or perhaps another shop like the fishing tackle shop, so someone does make that request to maintain the post office in Wyke. It’s a very long way for people to go for pensions and so on.”

Post Office says it’s committed to providing a new branch in the area.

A statement from the Post Office said: “The operator for Broadmeadow Post Office has resigned and the premises that we do not own, will be withdrawn from Post Office use on Monday 12 August at 9pm. The McColl’s store, where the branch is based, will also be closing this month.

“We understand how important a Post Office is to a community and we are committed to providing a Post Office in the area. We are looking at ways to provide Post Office services. Any retailer interested in incorporating a Post Office in their premises should email ND.enquiries@postoffice.co.uk or 0333 345 5560, then select option 2. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of the branch. The nearest alternative branches in the area are at Trinity Street and Charlestown and Abbotsbury Road.”