A ‘very unusual’ public meeting has been called following the sudden closure of a village post office after auditors arrived to remove cash.
Peopleton Post Office, located near Worcester and housed within the village shop, shut its doors on August 3 after auditors were called in to investigate alleged discrepancies related to the Horizon IT system.
The closure is expected to last several weeks while the investigation continues. We have asked for further details about the amount involved in the financial discrepancy, but so far the Post Office has declined to disclose this figure.
CLOSURE: Peopleton Post Office closed but the village shop remains open (Image: Newsquest)
A Post Office spokesperson said: “Peopleton Post Office is closed for operational reasons. We are working closely with the operator as part of a full review of the branch in order to identify and resolve any shortfall.
“Whilst the review process is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment publicly and it’s important to note that there is also an appeals process. We apologise for any inconvenience to customers. Alternative Post Office branches include Drakes Broughton and Upper Snodsbury.”
The meeting will take place at 6pm on Friday, August 28, at St Nicholas’ Church. We have asked for clarification from the committee on whether the meeting will address issues connected to the post office.
A spokesperson declined to give more details, but it is understood that the shop and post office are interconnected under PVSA Ltd.
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A sign outside the shop, known as The Pantry, said: “A meeting will be held on Friday, August 28 at St Nicholas’ church at 6pm to outline the current position of the shop. All are welcome to attend. The Committee, PVSA Ltd.”
One resident in Peopleton, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s unusual to have a meeting about the shop. It’s unheard of to have a meeting at the church to which everyone is called. Questions about the post office are bound to come up.”
MEETING: The notice of the meeting on the door of the village shop which also contains Peopleton Post Office (Image: Newsquest)
Although the shop remains open, the post office, which operates separately, remains closed.
A previous letter posted on the door of the shop confirmed the closure followed the discovery of “Horizon issues” and explained that the committee had launched an investigation in cooperation with the Post Office.
The letter, which has since been removed, read: “Dear Villagers, You will have noticed the Post Office was closed last week (3/8/2026) due to Horizon issues.
“The Committee has instigated an investigation into the Horizon anomalies, working with the Post Office to resolve these issues.
“The Post Office advises this could take several weeks and therefore we regretfully advise the Post Office will be closed during this investigation.
“We appreciate your continued support for the shop which will remain open during this period, subject to volunteer availability.
“In addition, Amanda is off sick due to ongoing health issues.
“We are grateful for your understanding.”
The Horizon scandal involved faulty accounting software used by the Post Office between 1999 and 2015, which led to false accusations of theft and fraud against more than 900 sub-postmasters.
The Post Office wrongly blamed and prosecuted more than 900 sub-postmasters for theft and fraud.
