Family of Downpatrick Post Office for 32-years get temporary shop open after 'Storm Babet hit hard'

A temporary Post Office has opened in a new location in Downpatrick after major flooding caused by Storm Babet.

Most of the Grove Shopping centre, including the Post Office at 65 Market Street, was submerged after several days of torrential rain contributed to the River Quoile bursting its banks in mid-October.

One empty shop at Unit 5a Grove Shopping Centre, Downpatrick, was spared from the flooding as it was on slightly higher ground. This shop, which used to be Cathedral Gowns, is where a temporary Post Office has been set up.

Downpatrick Post Office has been operated by the same postmaster, Frank Latus for the past 32 years. His son Gareth has worked alongside his father for many years and is now the full-time manager. Gareth has worked with Post Office to set up a temporary branch to restore service.

Gareth Latus said: “There has only been minor flooding in the area before, but Storm Babet hit hard and almost all the of the shopping centre was badly affected. Now about half of the shops have re-opened at various temporary locations on a part-time basis, but the temporary Downpatrick Post Office, is open full-time.

“Christmas is the busiest time for sending mail, parcels and home shopping returns. The town’s two banks have not yet re-opened, but businesses and individuals can do their personal and business banking here on behalf of all the major high street banks.”

The opening hours are Monday to Friday: 9am – 5pm; Saturday: 9am – 1pm. The same wide range of Post Office service are still available at this interim location.

It is not yet known when Downpatrick will be able to return to its normal location, but the earliest possible date is March because of the extent of the repair works required at the shopping centre.

Gareth wants to give thanks for the help and support he received from his wife Sharon and her family and the clear up team from Newry, Mourne, Downpatrick Council.

Timmy Grant, Post Office area manager, explained: “We know how important a Post Office is to a community. We worked with Gareth Latus to rapidly find the best location for a full-time temporary Post Office. This has allowed us to recently restore vital Post Office services in Downpatrick, whilst all the repairs and clean up take place at the Post Office premises and the shopping centre. The Post Office is all geared up for Christmas. The branch also provides vital services all year round and Downpatrick branch will remain at the temporary location until the original shop is ready.”

The branch will return to original site after major repairs.

Long-serving postmaster, Frank Latus, has actually clocked up 42 years’ service at two Post Offices in Northern Ireland – firstly at Tullycarnet in Belfast and then in

Downpatrick.

Frank had been a civil engineer, but he decided to take on his own business with his wife Ivy in 1981 with Tullycarnet Post Office. Then on 30 October 1991 Frank, became the first postmaster for Downpatrick Post Office when the Crown Post Office was franchised.

A few years later he moved Downpatrick Post Office to different premises at Grove Shopping Centre, 65 Market Street, Downpatrick, so that he could add a newsagents’ business alongside their Post Office.

In 2008 an arson attack destroyed most of the shops in Grove Shopping Centre, however, the Post Office was largely untouched. It was only closed for four days whilst they sorted out smoke damage, but all the other shops around them had to be rebuilt.