The Post Vault

The Post Vault: safe deposit boxes in Post Office branches in North West England

The Post Vault is a private safe deposit box service operating inside selected Post Office branches in Bolton, Chorley and Preston, in North West England. The company presents itself as an independent service, with storage of items outside traditional banking services, and is registered with the FCA and the ICO.

The service is aimed at individuals and businesses that need to protect valuables, documents or cash. The company states that boxes are available in different sizes and with flexible rental options, both short and long term.

Types of boxes and accepted items

The Post Vault's catalogue organises boxes according to the type of item to be stored:

• Jewellery: dedicated jewellery boxes, with secure access when the customer needs the items.
• Documents: storage of passports, deeds, wills, birth certificates and other important documentation.
• Data carriers: hard drives, USB sticks and backup media, protected against dust, moisture and physical damage.
• Gold: bars, coins and other precious metals, with authorised access.
• Cash: money and foreign currency, for personal savings, travel or business purposes.
• Short-term storage: for temporary periods such as Hajj, Umrah, Christmas, Easter, summer holidays, pilgrimages or travel.

In addition, the company mentions storage of watches, rare coins, collectibles and personal mementos, as well as a will custody service.

Security and access

The vaults are located in a former bank building with a 150-year history of protecting valuables. The Post Vault combines that infrastructure with current security measures. These include a Chubb Centurion Grade X CD EX vault, described as resistant to drilling and explosives; restricted entry for authorised personnel only; biometric identity verification; alarms with immediate threat detection; surveillance with multiple high-definition CCTV cameras; and a climate-controlled vault environment with physical reinforcements.

Access to the boxes requires an appointment, both to open a box and to access it. The company also offers existing customers the possibility of reserving a private parking space for direct access to the centre.

Services for businesses, students and house moves

The Post Vault describes storage solutions tailored to different situations:

• Businesses: custody of confidential contracts, legal documentation, corporate records, backup drives, cash reserves and other assets. Rental plans allow space to be adjusted according to changing needs.
• Students: protection of passports, academic certificates, laptops, jewellery, family keepsakes and external hard drives during trips home, stays abroad or shared accommodation.
• Office space: storage of financial records, confidential files, signed agreements, company seals and digital backups to free up office space.
• House moves or renovations: the company mentions this situation among its storage solutions, although without detailing specific conditions.

Prices and rental

The website shows a reference price from £2.50 per week in a highlighted section, while elsewhere on the same page it indicates flexible plans from £5.75 per week. The company does not detail in the scanned text what difference there is between the two figures or which box sizes correspond to each rate. Rental can be monthly or yearly, with short and long-term options.

Locations

The Post Vault operates in three Post Office branches: Bolton Central Post Office, Chorley Central Post Office and New Hall Lane Post Office in Preston. The vaults are located inside these offices, and access is by appointment.

Branches and premises

Chorley branch: Chorley Central Post Office, 56 Market Street, Chorley, PR7 2SD

Preston branch: New Hall Lane Post Office, 204 New Hall Lane, Preston, PR1 4SS