Jason & Jo Byrne
For the residents of Kingswear, Jason and Jo Byrne need little introduction. The friendly, welcoming and sociable manner in which they have run the village Post Office for the past three years has become an integral part of the Kingswear community.
Jason and Jo set up shop in Kingswear in 2011, after getting married in 2009. For Jason, the the decision to work in the village was an easy one: “I was born and bred in Brixham. I went to school at Brixham Community College up to the age of sixteen and then left to get a job. I enjoyed school but, at that time, jobs were scarce so it was a case of find a job and go from there.”
Before taking over the Kingswear Post Office, Jason spent several years doing similar work in Brixham. His experience gained during this time only furthered his interest and passion for the job. However, a scarcity of work meant the hours on offer were limited – so when the Kingswear Post Office became available, Jason leapt at the chance.
“We came down and saw Jude (the previous owner) and talked things through,” says Jason. “She was very helpful with all the information and everything was straightforward.”
“We were just a little worried when we were first going to start,” says Jo, “Because everybody loved Jude – including us – and we did not know what people would think about us replacing her. So Jason wrote a letter introducing ourselves to the residents of Kingswear. We spent two days delivering the letters wherever we could.
“The locals have been really great. They help us at every chance they get. And Jude is one of our best customers!”
As you have probably guessed, if you have ever had the pleasure of chatting to her, Jo hails from a little further afield than Jason – Pennsylvania, to be precise. With such different backgrounds, it begs the question as to how the couple met. “It was online in a chat room,” says Jo. “We were just talking and Jason messaged me and after a while asked for my phone number. I wasn’t going to give it to him because he was British and far away but my friend was with me at the time and she wanted to hear his accent – so I let him call and we talked for about half an hour.
“You know when you’re going to be friends with someone – he was just really cool to talk to. A few months later he came over to visit and at the end of the trip we started dating.”
Jo was still living in Pennsylvania at this time. The long-distance nature of their relationship meant that eventually either she or Jason would have to relocate. “I came out to England in the summer of 2006,” recalls Jo. “I wanted to see if I liked Brixham and the area and we had such a great time! The next year Jason proposed, we got married and now I’m here.”
While Jo has never regretted her decision to move, there is no doubt that life in the South Hams is not quite the same as what she was used to on the other side of the pond. “It’s completely different to back home,” laughs Jo. “I didn’t understand the British Post Office when I first moved over here – I’d come from the American Post Office system which is run by the government, where you go in, do your mail and that’s it. We’re so community-based here in comparison. We’ve come to know everybody!”
A strong dependence on tourism for trade is crucial to the existence of many businesses around Dartmouth and Kingswear. Yet Jason and Jo have found that, while the winter months are certainly quieter, a steady stream of trade warrants them staying open in the off-season. “The local customers have been very loyal,” says Jason, “And we’re gaining new customers all the time.”
“Everyone comes in and we try to all help each other out,” adds Jo. “All the businesses work together: if someone’s looking for somewhere to eat, we’ll suggest where they can find a nice meal. Knowing the people in the village, you can help them. If they’re having a personal problem and they need someone to talk to they can come in. And that’s nice. It’s good to know you can rely on your friends like that.”
Jason and Jo’s relentless dedication to their job is hugely appreciated by all those who use the Post Office. This summer just gone, the couple pushed themselves to new extremes, keeping their doors open until 11pm on several nights to cater for late-night Regatta revellers. These long days and a lack of free time have not been without their challenges.
“At the moment, in the winter months, Jo will have time off and I will stay here and vice versa,” says Jason. “We can’t have time off together.”
“It is tough,” agrees Jo. “Jason’s Christmas gift to me last year was to have Jude come in for a day in January so that we could spend that day together – that was the best Christmas gift. We’ve managed to make it back to Pennsylvania the last few years but since we have just started the business, we can’t really go on many breaks.”
“We need to build the business up first – that’s the idea,” says Jason. “So then we can take more time off. And eventually even employ more staff. It would also mean more time off together.”
Yet despite such challenges, Jason and Jo are as passionate about their job as when they first started. “We want to thank everybody for their support and we hope to be here for a good long time,” says Jason. “We’ve signed a 21 year lease, so the intention is to improve and establish the business.”
“It’s beautiful down here,” says Jo. “I don’t think you could find a better spot for a Post Office. It’s gorgeous! There are always people around and people to talk to. Everyone always waves and says hello. Who wouldn’t want to work somewhere like that?”
First published By the Dart October 2014