Criccieth Post Office will close in the new year.

A Post Office letter states the closure is due to the Postmaster resignation and subsequent loss of the use of the building. The position is being advertised.

Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP, Liz Saville Roberts, said communities in Gwynedd are bearing the brunt of serious failings in the strategic planning and delivery of Post Office services.

The closure has implications beyond the town itself as the current Postmaster also operates a weekly mobile outreach and van service to 25 communities.

There also remains no Post Office service in Nefyn which closed partly because staff no longer had faith in the computer systems following the fallout from the Horizon scandal.

The MP said: “This is yet another blow to our rural communities coming only a week or so since the Post Office announced Caernarfon was under threat.

“Rural branches serve a much wider area than the town itself and considering the widespread closure of other face-to-face banking services, the need to maintain a Post office presence is vitally important.

“I seek clarity on the future provision of mobile outreach services to communities currently served by the Criccieth Postmaster. This service is a lifeline to many.

“Twenty-five communities across Meirionnydd, Dwyfor, and Arfon currently benefit from this mobile service, yet there is no certainty this will remain once Criccieth closes.

“People who rely on these services, particularly the elderly and those without transport, need certainty these services will still be there come the new year.

“What has become increasingly apparent is the reputational damage inflicted upon the Post Office following the Horizon scandal is resulting in an accelerated deterioration in access to services.

“I have every sympathy with business owners who find themselves in a position where it is no longer in their own best personal or financial interests to continue to provide a Post Office service.

“Many have been shaken by the Horizon scandal, with distrust a significant factor in the reluctance of many to take over the running of services.

“This, in addition to UK government decisions over several years to cut back on the number of public services provided at Post Office counters.

“The Post Office is first and foremost a public service, yet there seems to be little in the way of public engagement or strategic planning where branches need to be guaranteed.

“Scant consideration is given to local factors such as access to public transport, digital poverty in rural areas or the specific needs of our Welsh-speaking communities.

“At a time when the Post Office’s main priority should be to restore trust and public confidence, they seem intent on making life harder for their loyal customers.”

Criccieth councillor Sian Williams said: “The closure of rural Post Office branches and community outreach services is bitterly disappointing.

“Not only does the Post Office provide general services, but they also fill the void left by so many of our high street banks.

“I hope a solution can be found which maintains Post Office services in Criccieth.”