12 Dec 2017
Here at UOE, we are very proud of how successful 2017 has been for us. So, as we wait to welcome in the New Year, we’ve been looking back over the old one. Here are our highlights:
November could not have been busier. UOE took over Post Office franchises in Crouch End, Muswell Hill and Stoke Newington, opening the new stores on the 13th, 20th and 23rd respectively. Each store had to be closed for three working days for refurbishment, leaving little time for our renovation crew to work their magic, but they finally enjoyed a well-earned rest at the end of November.
And now the locals in Crouch End and Muswell Hill have access to the full range of Post Office services 7 days a week! They can also take advantage of our longer opening hours – we close at 6pm on weekdays – giving them time to nip into the Post Office on the way home from work.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff, old and new, for their hard work. At the new UOE Stores, new staff are still being trained, so please bear with us while they get up to speed.
The three new stores have doubled the number of UOE Post Office franchises, and it’s now full steam ahead into 2018.
The first ever UOE Hub in Hertford is now full! Over the course of the year, we have been adapting our coworking space to suit the needs of our residents. Thanks to the feedback we have received, we have constructed lockable offices and redecorated the shared space. To create even more office space to rent, we can now move up to a second floor, although it needs extensive renovation work to bring it up to standard. This will begin in early 2018 to provide even more small office and coworking space to enable Hertford business owners to Get Work Done!
One of the best things that has happened in Hertford this year has been the yarn bombing of the town’s post boxes. Throughout the year, the Secret Society of Hertford Crafters have been secretly making 25 Christmas scenes which appeared on post boxes overnight at the beginning of December. The Secret Society wanted the scenes to help them raise much-needed funds for Isabel Hospice. The town has embraced the woolly scenes and shown its appreciation of the work by donating nearly £7,500 (at the time of writing). Amazing!
Despite the busy year we’ve had, we’re not going to rest on our laurels as we will be undertaking complete refurbishments of the Crouch End and Muswell Hill branches.
In addition, we will be moving the Stoke Newington branch – though only a few doors down the road. After the move, the Stoke Newington Post Office will extend its opening hours and will be open 7 days a week and until 6 o’clock on weekday evenings in line with other UOE Stores. We will not only be renovating the new building to house a UOE Store and Post Office, we will also be adding our second UOE Hub, a coworking space for small business owners, solopreneurs and freelancers to rent desk and office space.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest developments on our News page, by liking our Facebook page, or following us on Twitter.
We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year!