What it's like to run a post office

She puts her heart and soul into her business amid constant changes and has embraced social media to help ensure its future.

"If I don't keep reminding people that I exist and about the services I offer and ask people to support us, I won't survive and that would be a shame," says the sub-postmistress at Abbey Foregate Post Office in Shrewsbury, who uses Twitter and Facebook.

When Caroline bought the business 11 and a half years ago, after working part-time at the branch, little did she know the financial crash was just around the corner.

"Times have changed and it's got tough. The way we do business has changed a lot between 2007 and now.

"The High Street has suffered so the very fact I still have a viable post office is something I'm proud of.

"As much as I love it, at the end of the day it's still a job and I have bills to pay too," she tells us.

Since the mother of three took over the reins there have been many changes including the loss of 90 per cent of car tax trade when paper discs were abolished four years ago.

This came on top of the majority of state pensions being paid directly into a bank account rather than being collected with a book at a post office counter.

People who don't want to renew their car tax online or don't know how to can still go to a branch for assistance.

"This is one way people can support their local post office as it takes less than two minutes to process," says Caroline, who is self-employed.

While post offices have lost the majority of pension and car tax trade in recent years, it has become a life-line for customers cut off from in-person banking

With more and more banks abandoning the high street, post offices are offering them a place to turn.

There are more than 11,500 branches and they can provide banking services for almost everyone with a UK bank account.

"Banking is such a big part of what we do now as almost all of the UK banks allow us to do third party banking for them as they have closed branches.

"This is important to customers," explains Caroline, whose father ran a branch in Battlefield, Shrewsbury.

Caroline has also noticed the age of customers coming in through the doors has changed.

"Historically a 23-year-old probably wouldn't have any reason to use a post office before but now they are buying things online and are coming in when they want to return something.

"I make sure it's an easy face-to-face transaction for them and then hopefully they might come back when they want a passport of holiday currency," she tells us.

Abbey Foregate Post Office has been part of the community for 60 years and Caroline believes this is why it's trusted.

"We're a standalone post office because we're not in the back of a Co-op or Spar and people like we're just a post office," she says.

Fast and efficient service is important to Caroline whose small team of three includes her brother Neil, who works full-time and a part-time member of staff.

"On the days we are busy, people will not tolerate queuing so I have to make sure we have the right number of staff on the counters.

"If we are slow, people will go elsewhere, but if we are known for being quick, people will come back," she tells Weekend.

The number of customers paying the team a visit varies throughout the week, some days they are rushed off their feet while others are quieter.

"Monday is our busiest day as there is a large amount of post and we have internet sellers like Turtle Doves and Sloganite who use us.

"Thursday has historically always been quiet. We don't know why it just always has been.

"January and February goes mad with passports - we can go from doing 20 a week to 20 a day. It's the same with currencies.

"Christmas is obviously the busiest time with people sending presents. It's too early yet for people doing that but internet sellers are gearing up for Christmas at the moment," says Caroline.

The best thing about her job is getting to know her customers, she tells us. "It's different every day. The bones are the same, I come in at 8.30am and I help people with their pensions, they eBay sales, their holiday currency but it's never the same transacton even if it's the same person.

"I see the very young come in with their parents for their first passport, teenagers sending back clothes they've bought from ASOS, the fish and chip owner paying in his takings, it's always different.

"I've also seen elderly couples come in together twice a week for years and then one of them has died and the other has come in alone- there's a real human side to it, you don't get that with many other businesses," says Caroline.

As you walk into Caroline's business you are greeted by a sign that says 'Thank you for supporting your local Post Office'.

Shopping local is important to Caroline who allows several Shrewsbury crafts people to sell their products in her shop.

"I have a lot of support from local businesses and I support them in return

"Shrewsbury does have a community feel to it - it's like a village but bigger," she says.

As well as ensuring no one faces a long wait in a queue, Caroline offers free parking and knowledgeable staff.

"I can't sit back, I have to be constantly thinking about what my customers want. There are five other post offices within easy reach of mine so my competition is another post office," she says.

Despite the challenges, Caroline says she loves her job and is determined to continue to serve the people of Shrewsbury.

"You have to really want it and be prepared to work hard for it but it is rewarding," she tells us.