EXISTING Post Office counter staff are being instructed to complete an application form – for their own jobs.

The announcement comes as consultation begins into Gravesend's main store move to WHSmith.

Plans to close the Milton Road post office and move it inside the WHSmith store, in the St George's Centre a few hundred yeards away, were announced in April.

But if the 10 Post Office employees want to continue working for the company they will have to re-apply for their jobs.

A notice has been displayed at the entrance of WHSmith for a number of weeks advertising job vacancies at the proposed new branch, including manager, bureau expert, assistant manager and sales assistants.

Current Post Office workers will not be given priority over other applicants, WHSmith stated.

A spokesman for WHSmith said: "We can't be seen to discriminate. We have to treat everyone who applies equally."

The councillor for Central ward, Samir Jassal, said: "If your work moves premises, it doesn't usually mean that you have to reapply for your job."

* See the Gravesend Messenger (Thursday, June 7) for the full story.