I was in the WH Smith Post Office yesterday and I was amazed at the length of the queue at 2.30pm on an early-August afternoon. Then I noticed they've scrapped the counter to make way for a new financial services sales room.

Was this queue length unusual? If so, then I guess I was just unlucky. If not, then what's it going to be like in December???

They've lost two counters overall in the refurb, which seems a bit of a mistake, especially as one still gives priority to foreign currency. I suppose there is more money to be made by selling mortgages, bank accounts etc. but as you say Mr_Numbers, if it is causing trouble already, then Friday afternoons and Christmas will be unbearable!

You could try the lovely, friendly, and recently expanded post office in Honor Oak Park as an alternative. The queues are never very long.

Shhhhhh I was hoping to keep that a secret!

My mother used to collect her pension from the WHSmith PO and now prefers to go to Dulwich and collect it from the sub PO near Dulwich Library where she gets better customer service since the changes.

I was in there just now actually, not a long queue, but cant believe how they have chopped it all back. Will be interested to see how much the new space is actually used.

The new look isn't good. The open counters were fine.

I was in there while the manager of the PO was telling off a cashier. I didn't recognise any of the staff either, have WHSmith had a clear out?

was in there a couple of days ago, only one counter open, the man behind the other counter was just juggling bits of paper. There was no queue when I arrived, but by the time the cashier finished trying to sell her customer other products there were half a dozen unhappy people waiting.