Express & Star

Netherton Post Office couple retiring after 33 years of loyal service 'will be sorely missed'

A long-serving postmaster and his wife are retiring from the Dudley shop they have run for 33 years while they are "still young enough to do lots of things".

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Netherton postmaster Sukhdev Singh and his wife Narinder Kaur who are to retire. Pictured to the left of them is the new postmistress, Mandip Kaur Wallace.

Sukhdev Singh is to retire as Netherton's postmaster after 23 years, and with his wife Narinder Kaur has run their shop for 33 years.

In 1996, Netherton Post Office was added to their shop at 65 Halesowen Road, Netherton.

Now the couple want to retire and Mandip Kaur Wallace, who has regularly worked at the branch on an ad hoc basis, will be the new postmistress from March 20.

Netherton postmaster Sukhdev Singh and his wife Narinder Kaur

Sukhdev Singh said: “I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every day working here. We have got to know the local people so well that they are just like family.

“Customers come in and greet me as 'Dave', as that’s the name people know me by in the village. We then have a little chat.

“We stayed open throughout lockdown and people were grateful that they could stay local for essential Post Office services and to do their banking.

Netherton's new postmistress, Mandip Kaur Wallace

“We’re going to miss our customers. We wanted to retire now whilst we were still young enough to do lots of things. We want to go to India to visit lots of relatives.

“Many customers already know Mandip, so we are very happy to be able to sell the business to her.”

Post Office area manager Nik Priestley said: “We want to thank Sukhdev and Narinder for their long and loyal service to this village for a third of a century. We hope that they enjoy their well-earned retirement. They will be sorely missed.”