Basel: Main post office branch to close
As part of the announced branch closures, Swiss Post is also planning to close the main post office in Basel. The listed building near the market square is considered a city landmark and has housed the post office since 1853.
According to the canton of Basel-Stadt, the main post office branch is to be closed at the end of 2018 due to a lack of profitability and a sharp decline in capacity utilization. In addition, the increasingly high rental costs at this location are particularly significant.
Basel's government council has criticized the closure and has already announced that it will have it reviewed in proceedings before the Postal Commission. The main post office has a "very high historical and emotional value" for Basel, writes the responsible economic department in a press release.
The sandstone building was built between 1376 and 1378 as a department store and was converted into a post office building in 1853. The main post office with its high-vaulted counter hall is a Basel landmark that should be preserved as such and with its current function. (ah)
