Post Office red letter day

Councillor Euan Robson with Postmistress, Karen Brown and staff, Kelso PO. (PHOTO: B ILL McBURNIE)

During lockdown, Brown Newsagents at 13 Woodmarket started opening at 5am to help deal with the community’s needs. Its paperboys and girls also took on additional newspaper deliveries to ensure customers stayed safe indoors.

Going that extra mile resulted in a best customer service award from the Post Office earlier this year.

Then the shop won a ‘Local Hero’ trophy after a staff fancy dress day raised £2,500 for the Borders General.

Now Brown’s has received a community champion award from the Federation of Independent Retailers for meeting its customers’ ever-changing needs, the trophy being presented to postmistress Karen Armstrong by Kelso and district councillor Euan Robson this week.

The Brown family has run the newsagents since 1976 and it became a post office in 1993.

Karen, 48, a member of the Brown clan, said: “This latest award was more for the newsagents side of things. We look after our customers well. We’re open at five o’clock in the morning and deal with 17 paperboys. In the Post Office we do everything, including mortgages.

“I think we are at the heart of the town and that has been recognised. We’re just a bubbly happy family in here.”

Mr Robson said: “Brown’s does a tremendous job. Its staff are always bright and cheery and the awards are well-deserved. They really are a credit to the community.”