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A Study undertaken by Vikki Hilton of Hilton Associates on behalf of Scottish Executive
ISBN 0 7559 6161 7 (Web only publication)
This document is also available in pdf format (828k)

Contents

Acknowledgments

Executive Overview

1. Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Objectives
1.3 Methods
1.3.1 Why a Participatory Appraisal approach
1.3.2 When it took place
1.3.3 Who participated and what happened

2. Case study areas
2.1 An accessible rural area: West Linton, Scottish Borders
2.2 A remote rural area: Kirkconnel, Dumfries & Galloway
2.3 A very remote rural area: Rogart, Sutherland

3. Which post office services does each community use?

4. The social role of post offices to rural communities
4.1 Access to post office counter services by the "community of users"
4.1.1 Access to financial services (financial inclusion)
4.1.2 Access to services by "vulnerable" groups
4.2 Post Office as a hub of the community
4.3 Importance of trust in postmaster/staff and customer loyalty to post office

5. What could be changed/improved about the post office?
5.1 What could be changed or improved by case study area?
5.1.1 West Linton case study
5.1.2 Kirkconnel case study
5.1.3 Rogart case study

6. Potential factors influencing the role of post offices to communities in rural Scotland
6.1 Interdependency between post office services and other community services
6.2 Communication network through post office supports community structure
6.3 Role in the local tourist industry
6.4 A desire to "be green"

7. Conclusions

Bibliography & References

Appendix 1: H Diagram
Appendix 2: Poster Promotion in the Rogart case study
Appendix 3: Graphs outlining participants' definitions of post office counter services

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