Wattville Road postmistress Roopie Gill has celebrated 50 years of her family running the Birmingham shop, alongside the first anniversary of her reinstatement as postmistress following the overturning of her wrongful criminal conviction in the Post Office Horizon scandal.
The double celebration took place on 15 August, bringing together family, customers, supporters and local community representatives, including mayor of Birmingham Zaker Choudhry and other councillors. Post Office representatives, including chief financial officer Tom Lee, also attended.
Gill was among hundreds of postmasters wrongly prosecuted for accounting shortfalls based on unreliable data from the Post Office’s Horizon IT system.
Her family took over Wattville Road Post Office and newsagents in Handsworth in August 1976. Her father, Nirmal Singh Kailey, had worked in a Royal Mail sorting office and was reportedly one of the first Asian postmasters outside London.
Gill was six when her parents and extended family took on the business. She recalled that the premises was originally a small haberdashery shop selling wool and sewing supplies.
“I clearly remember first visiting the shop. In those days it was a haberdashery store, and there was lots of box shelving with wool and other sewing items,” she said.
“When demand for knitting and sewing items declined, we took on different retail, including a newsagents and sweets. Originally it was a tiny shop. My Dad kept expanding the premises at the back and took on a shop next door. Now it’s five times the original size and a convenience store.”
Post Office CFO Tom Lee and Roopie Gill Photo: Post Office
Gill took over as postmistress in 2005, but later faced unexplained financial shortfalls in the branch accounts. The accusations had a devastating impact on her and her family, with Gill describing how she reached a point of despair and her husband subsequently struggled with alcoholism before his death.
Although the family managed to retain the shop, a new postmaster was appointed to run the Post Office. Gill's criminal conviction was eventually overturned, allowing her to successfully apply to return as postmistress.
She became the first former postmaster affected by the scandal to take back their former Post Office branch when she was reinstated at Wattville Road in August 2025.
Gill said the latest celebration was a chance to mark both milestones with those closest to her.
“I’ve been through some very dark times, when I had no hope and I couldn’t see light at the end of the tunnel. I somehow managed to dig deep,” she said.
“Now I want to celebrate life with my family, my partner Mani, customers and supporters.
“My Mum and Dad would have been on cloud nine to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the shop and seeing me really happy again. They had been convinced of my innocence. Sadly, they passed away before I had a chance to have had my name cleared. Dad had always said to me that if there was ever a way to get the Post Office back that I should go for it.”
Gill said she had enjoyed returning to the branch and had received continued support from customers.
“I’ve really loved every day back in charge, serving my customers. Not a day goes by without my customers saying something kind to me,” she said.
She added that her family was now back living together in the UK and that her Post Office earnings had increased over the past year.
“I can finally say that all is going well in my life. I’m in a good place. I want to enjoy and celebrate life,” she said.
Gill is still going through the Post Office financial redress process, with compensation expected to help her family recover some of what they lost during the years affected by the scandal.
Post Office chairman Nigel Railton, who met Gill at her reinstatement celebration a year ago, praised her resilience and apologised for the organisation’s treatment of her and others affected by the Horizon scandal.
“I was seriously impressed by her resilience and positivity about life despite her experiences as part of a shameful time in Post Office history and I sincerely apologise to her, and everyone affected by this scandal,” he said.
Railton wished Gill “every success in the future” as she continues to run the family business and Post Office branch.