Since a South Hams District Council van crashed into the front of Modbury Post Office in April, footfall has plummeted - placing the community-run shop at serious risk of closure.

The Post Office, operated by Postmistress and Devon Law Solicitor, Jenny Jones, has experienced a sharp decline in custom following the incident, leaving her deeply concerned about the future.

“I took this Post Office on to try and save it - and to protect the jobs of those who work here,” Jenny said. “But people think because it’s a Post Office, it’ll be fine. The truth is, we don’t get paid if no one comes in and buys from us. If people don’t use it, then we will lose it.”

The crash occurred at approximately 7:45am on 30 April, when a parked council van rolled backwards down an adjacent street due to a mechanical fault. The vehicle smashed into the listed building, ripping out the front display window.

Miraculously, no one was injured. But the impact of the 1.5-tonne vehicle caused significant structural damage. The shop is now boarded up - and to passers-by, it appears closed.

“It’s a real shame,” said Jenny. “We can’t have any window displays to entice people in, and they can’t see what else the shop has to offer.”

Beyond its postal services, the shop sells antiques, confectionery, homeware, stationery and cards - all independently run and entirely separate from the Post Office operation. In essence, this is a small business that happens to house a Post Office, not the other way around.

As a franchise, Jenny is responsible for the rent, bills, staff wages and overall upkeep of the store. “I reduced our opening hours by half an hour at both the start and end of the day to help keep everyone in a job,” she said. “Which turned out to be a blessing, because if anyone had been here that morning, they could have been killed.”

However, the change in hours has sparked frustration among some locals. “People haven’t been happy about it,” Jenny admitted. “But the reality is, if we don’t get more customers through the door, I’ll have to reduce hours further - or we’ll lose the Post Office altogether.”

While insurance is expected to cover the cost of repairs, the process is long and drawn out. Specialist surveyor reports are still pending, and until those are completed, no building work can begin - nor can any payout be made by South Hams District Council. In the meantime, the shop remains boarded up, with no clear timeline for restoration. For Jenny and her team, this means they relying solely on daily custom to stay afloat.

“We’re doing our best,” adds Jenny. “There were big plans for the shop before, and I’d like to get back to that point - but we need the community to support us.”

Modbury Post Office is open from 8:30am until 4:30pm Monday - Friday and from 8:30am to 12:30pm on Saturdays.