The mobile Post Office service is returning to Drybrook and a new one is coming to Goodrich.

The Drybrook mobile Post Office will operate from the car park of The Hearts of Oak Pub, Drybrook Road, The Cross, GL17 9EE on Thursdays from 10.15am to 11.45pm. The Post Office has said that the new service is a temporary solution whilst they continue to find something more permanent.

This mobile van will be located at The Hearts of Oak Car Park, approximately 120 metres away from the previous Post Office service, along a varied terrain. Parking will be available at The Hearts of Oak car park.

Goodrich is also getting a new service from the mobile post office.

The Goodrich mobile post office service will be located at the Goodrich Village Car Park, HR9 6HX and will visit on Thursdays 12 noon until 1pm. Parking is available at the car park there, roadside parking is also available nearby.

The travelling post office, is aboard a specifically designed vehicle. It will be operated by the postmaster for Great Massingham who already provides service to several rural communities with the mobile service.

With both of the new services, there is a step into the mobile vehicle, however an electronic tailgate is available to facilitate easy access for wheelchair users and those with disabilities.

The Post Office is one of the largest retailers in the UK and helps countless numbers of people bank with cash, an increasingly important service as the area around Ross-on-Wye has seen a number of bank branch closures over recent years.

Latest figures show cash withdrawals over Post Office counters totalled £650.5 million in February, up 3.2 per cent month-on-month. The Post Office has welcomed the increase in personal cash withdrawals. It is currently running a charity partnership campaign with the Trussell Trust where 1p from every over-the-counter cash withdrawal is donated to the charity and the Post Office hopes to raise £250,000. So far over £200,000 has been raised.

Several weeks ago Gazette reader Jules Palliser shared their story of when they tried to buy petrol from a local station, only to find a hand-written notice which read: “Sorry cash only. Credit card machine not working”. Jules shared it as a cautionary tale against a cashless and digital-only currency; Gazette readers agree with the scepticism of a cashless way of life.

A question put to followers of @RossGazette on social media site Twitter: “Do you feel it’s important that businesses still carry cash, or do you embrace a cashless society?” Three-quarters of participants said that “Yes, cash is important”.