Dunmow businesses say they’re grateful to customers who choose to shop locally, but some are frustrated by a repeated piece of mis-information claiming they now shut mid-afternoon.
Nikki Anthony of women’s clothes shop Wardrobe said: “I think it’s the Post Office and banks, it’s throwing everyone off.
“All the banks close at 2pm, the Post Office closes at 3pm. People are getting frustrated - people are coming in to go to the Post Office and find it is not open.”
She said the store has just taken in new stock including jumpers, coats, gillets and boots, in reds and purples for autumn and winter.
Darren Cox of country clothing and outdoorwear store Jacks 1952 said: “I want people to know that Dunmow is open for business.
“The core businesses in Dunmow are open at least 10am to 4pm every day.
“We are open week in, week out, six days a week.”
The store has new winter stock coming in, including walking boots.
Jo Rosewell of Happy Tails on Stortford Road said she was delighted to have picked up new customers, and unlike some other businesses, is benefitting from shoppers when the schools come out.
“I would probably say my busiest time is mid morning and mid afternoon. I find that when all the kids are coming out of school, at 3pm or 3.30pm I get a run because all the mums and all the kids are in the town.
“I was shutting early during lockdown because I was going out and doing deliveries in the afternoon but I’m back to normal now.
“I think people found me during lockdown. I have had people come in to buy something because they don’t want to get it online or go out of town and they see we do key cutting, bird food. I think I’ve picked up a lot of new customers. I can’t complain at all.”
Town mayor Mike Coleman said: “The town team and the council are putting a lot of effort in to getting Dunmow up and running and it’s working.
“There is a definite buzz and people are shopping locally but we are very disappointed that the Post Office are not really behind us.”
A Post Office spokesperson said: “Dunmow Post Office was temporarily closed during lockdown due to staffing issues. We know how important a Post Office is to a community and we worked with the Postmaster to re-open the branch in June.
“This was with reduced hours. We continue to work with the Postmaster to try to restore full-time opening hours as soon as possible. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure at lunchtime and closing at 3pm.
“Alternative branches in the area include Felstead, which is open every weekday afternoon until 5pm and Takeley, which is open every weekday afternoon until 5.30pm.”
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