Popular postmaster, Vijay Kanabar, has reached his 30 years’ milestone at the helm of Melrose Street Post Office in Leicester.
In 1994, Vijay took on a small Post Office shop with no retail in 136 Catherine Street, Leicester, LE4 6EN. He then added some essential groceries.
Then there was an opportunity to take on an empty shop next door and to knock a wall down, doubling the size for retail.
Vijay, his two brothers and his wife (Nilesh, Nalin and Saroj) have developed a convenience store alongside Melrose Street Post Office, meeting the needs of the local community.
They managed to keep open throughout the pandemic and they were really busy as people wanted to stay local to buy groceries and for essential Post Office services for banking, posting and returning parcels and for paying bills.
With recent bank branch closures and continued growth in home shopping, selling things on ebay and other selling sites Melrose Street Post Office continues to be at the heart of the community. The branch now offers Evri buy in branch services as well as the traditional Royal Mail and Parcelforce services and people can also collect Evri parcels.
Vijay had always wanted to run his own business. He gained experience working alongside postmaster Hemandra Hindocha, who has run Westcotes Post Office in Leicester, since 1988 and that convinced him to take on a Post Office and to add a convenience store.
Hemandra, better known to customers as “H” and Vijay then set up a postmaster support group for the Midlands area who help with operational questions and how to grow their business and as a social network. This has proved popular.
Melrose Street postmaster, Vijay Kanabar, said: “I really enjoy being a postmaster – it’s the interaction with customers. People come in with questions about a service and I have the knowledge, so I can advise them. They can leave satisfied and with a smile on their face. I have also got to know my customers well over the past 30 years.
“I started with a Post Office with no retail. Then my family and I have grown the business and modernised the store over the years. We have adapted with the times and we make sure that our community knows that we can do personal and business banking here on behalf of all the major high street banks. As well as the traditional mail services people also like that they have the choice of Evri services too.”
A Post Office 30 Years’ Long Service Award was presented to Vijay by Post Office Regional Manager, Tony Sanghera.
Post Office Area Manager, Ezra Nadasen, said: “Vijay Kanabar is a great postmaster who has been a first class postmaster for 30 years. He really cares about his community and other postmasters in Leicestershire and has made a big difference to people’s lives.”