A POSTMASTER’S wife has been left ‘appalled’ after being told she must reapply for her job following her husband’s cancer diagnosis.
Sue Key and husband Carl have jointly managed the Windy Arbour Post Office in Kenilworth for 27 years with wages paid into their account under Carl’s name.
But the pair were dealt a devastating blow after learning 62-year-old Carl had terminal bowel, liver and lung cancer.
Grandmother-of-four Sue contacted the Post Office and asked for the wage to be transferred into her name in case anything happened to her husband.
But the 61-year-old says bosses told her it could not be transferred into ‘any old family member’s name’.
She was then dealt a further blow when she was told if Carl resigned then they would only give her the role ‘temporarily’.
Sue – who lives in Tile Hill, Coventry – is now juggling running the shop on Moseley Road and caring for her husband.
She said: “I told them that I’m not any old family member and I had been running the store for the past 27 years.
“They told me it can be done – if Carl resigns and I re-apply for role online. It felt like a kick in the teeth.
“I’m not going to force my husband to retire.
“If I had not been running the Post Office for 27 years I could understand where they’re coming from – but I’ve been doing this for an absolute age. It’s just appalling.
“I’ve been the manager since 1991 but for whatever reason at the time they wouldn’t put the postmaster title in my name.”
But the Post Office says it is just following protocol.
A spokeswoman told the Observer: “The Key family have our full empathy at this difficult time. We understand and appreciate how much Windy Arbour relies on this Post Office and we would like to thank the Key family for their long and loyal service to their community. We are very pleased that Mrs Key wants to continue to run Windy Arbour Post Office.
“There is always a legal process for us to follow when transferring the position of postmaster to another person, we will do all we can to make this transition as quick and easy as possible.
“We would like to reassure customers that the branch is open for business while Mr and Mrs Key complete necessary process. Once again, we are very grateful for all they have done for Post Office, and our thoughts are with them.”
