The Post Office has been accused of closing outlets across Scotland “by stealth” after it was revealed many have been shut “temporarily” for up to five years.
Branches in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands and Islands are among those closed down under what Post Office bosses have labelled a “temporary fix”.
And last night the Communication Worker’s Union (CWU) said newly unearthed figures revealed the “crisis” facing a vanishing network across Scotland.
Official figures from the Post Office show 511 units have been lost since 2000 as part of a planned programme of shutdowns.
However the new figures have revealed 589 branches have been lost since 2000, with 78 allegedly going unannounced due to being branded “temporary”.
Three branches in Aberdeen are among the closures labelled temporary, as are others in Banchory, Fyvie, New Leeds, Botriphnie and Mosstodloch.
Four have ceased operating on the Isle of Lewis, along with two on Skye and others on Mull, Barra, Harris, Shetland and Orkney. A string of others have closed temporarily across the Highlands.
General secretary of the CWU, Dave Ward, said he fears “Post Offices are becoming unsustainable” and are unable to attract new workers.
He added: “The result of this is a closure programme by stealth and from what our members are seeing, we believe the Post Office is in crisis.”
“For many people, the Post Office is a lifeline and these figures raise serious questions for the Post Office about whether these communities will ever have a branch again.”
MP for Orkney and Shetland, Alistair Carmichael, said: “These figures will surprise no one in rural Scotland. The vast majority of these temporary closures will never open again and we would have a better picture of Post Office coverage if the Post Office were to admit this.
“At the very least there should be a period after which the Post Office should regard a temporary closure as being permanent and, in my view, that should be no more than two years.”
The Post Office maintains the temporarily closed branches could reopen.
Post Office general manager, Tom Moran, said: “Our branch network is constantly changing – for example as a result of an existing postmasters leaving, or use of premises being withdrawn, and we work hard to avoid any break in service.
“A branch will only remain temporarily closed where no suitable operator comes forward to run it and we take every opportunity to restore the service if the circumstances change.”