Fiasco at First Day of New Chiswick Post Office
Systems failure leaves branch in Robert Dyas unable to serve customers
A note delivers bad news to customers hoping to use the new branch
August 29, 2026
The long-awaited opening of Chiswick’s new Post Office inside Robert Dyas got off to a farcical start on Friday afternoon (28 August), after a systems failure left staff unable to serve customers. Balloons decorated the entrance of the hardware store on Chiswick High Road to mark the launch, but anyone arriving with parcels or banking needs was met instead with apologies. Staff said a wider Post Office Ltd network outage had knocked out their ability to process transactions, leaving the newly installed counters unusable.
The Post Office has been positioned at the rear of the Robert Dyas store, with new signage at the entrance directing customers through the aisles of homewares and hardware. The launch was scheduled for 12.30pm, part of a national push to integrate postal services into retail units, but the first hour of operation saw disappointed residents turned away.
The new counter is intended to transform the shop into a one-stop community hub, offering personal and business banking, travel money, bill payments and a full range of parcel services including Royal Mail, DPD, Parcelforce and Evri. Western Union transfers continue to be available, and self-service parcel drop-off pods are due to be introduced in the autumn.
Robert Dyas, owned by retail entrepreneur and TV Dragon Theo Paphitis, says the addition of Post Office services is designed to improve convenience for local residents and businesses. “We are delighted to bring these vital services directly to the Chiswick community,” said Mark Crowley, the company’s Commercial Director. “By integrating a full range of Post Office services alongside our existing retail offering, we are ensuring that our store acts as a true one-stop destination for local residents.”
Balloons encouraged customers to come and see the new Post Office
To encourage early use of the new counter, customers who complete a Post Office transaction during the first two weeks will receive 10% off purchases made in Robert Dyas on the same day, excluding gift cards.
Despite the chaotic start, the Post Office inside Robert Dyas at 326 Chiswick High Road is now officially open, with staff hoping the technical issues will be resolved swiftly so the new service can operate as intended.
The counters were all set to go before technical problems hit
A Post Office spokesperson said, “We were pleased to have successfully opened our brand-new Post Office inside the Robert Dyas store shortly after 9.30am this morning (28 August). Unfortunately, an issue impacted the broadband provider later this morning which led to a loss of cellular connectivity and meant that a number of Post Offices across the country were unable to trade. The broadband provider has fixed their issue and branches, including in Chiswick, are able to trade once again. We apologise to our customers who were temporarily unable to access our products and services for a short time but encourage them to return and visit our brand-new branch in-person."
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