Post Offices to stop selling rod licences

Instead, from January 16, 2023 anglers will have to purchase their licences online via the Gov.uk website, or through the EA’s telesales service.

According to the Environment Agency, moving all sales to online and telesales services will help make savings which can then be reinvested  in its fisheries service, as well as helping the agency work towards its carbon net zero targets.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency told Fisheries.co.uk: “Post offices have been selling rod licenses since the early 1990s. However, over the last decade the decline in sales of fishing licences at the Post Office has accelerated so they now only account for a small percentage of fishing licence sales.

“As customers’ methods of buying a licence have changed, in part due to the way the EA has made it easier to buy licences online, the EA has decided to end the sale of licences at Post Offices. Moving sales to online and telesales services will allow the EA to make savings which they can then reinvest back into the fisheries service.”

The spokesperson added that The Environment Agency is now actively encouraging people to buy digital licences which will save on paper and help the agency work towards its carbon net zero targets.

Anglers will be able to renew their licence using the on-line service or via the helpline number 0344 800 5386 from 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday except on public holidays.  Call charges may apply depending on service providers.

Written by Peter Cliff
With career in Public Relations and journalism, Peter worked for local, regional and national newspapers before moving into Public Relations. A regular contributor to several major angling publications over the years, he launched Fisheries.co.uk in 1999.