Anger as Post Office snubs Chesham meeting

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QUESTIONS remain unanswered over the future of Chesham Post Office after officials “insulted” the town by failing to turn up to a public meeting this evening.

Representatives from the Post Office had been due to take questions from members of the public at tonight’s meeting – but they pulled out this afternoon.

The news prompted cries of “pathetic” and “not good enough” from people at the Town Hall meeting – many of whom had to stand due to a lack of space.

Chesham town centre has been without a Post Office since the town’s branch, in High Street, closed on Friday November 13.

Town Mayor, Cllr Justine Fulford, said this evening it had closed as the previous franchisee had been evicted from the premises.

She said “complex negotiations” were ongoing – but due to commercial confidentiality reasons she was unable to reveal further details.

Cllr Fulford, who arranged the meeting, said the simplest solution was to find a new leaseholder.

The current freeholder’s agent, Richard Hutt, told residents a deal was almost in place however.

He said: “About a week ago, we thought we had agreed terms. I have been pressing the Post Office in the last week but they have yet to confirm the terms of the agreement which allows us to proceed.

“We are not so far apart that it should be a material issue, but the difference is relatively nominal given the inconvenience it [the closure] has caused.”

One resident asked if the town council had considered a bid as the new licensee.

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Jane Bramwell, said: “It’s an idea we have been thinking of, so don’t rule it out.”

The Town Hall could not be used as a temporary Post Office due to security reasons – which was the same reason why concerns were raised over plans to use a temporary building supplied by the Post Office for use in a council-run car park.

There is only one temporary building in Britain currently housing a Post Office – in Marlow.

Residents voiced their frustrations at the lack of a town centre Post Office, with would-be customers having to use alternative branches in Amersham and Great Hivings – the latter of which is closed on Wednesday afternoons.

One said the excuses offered by officials for not attending tonight’s meeting were “disgraceful” and “laughable”, adding it was “insulting” they did not turn up.

Another said: “If, during the war, a bomb had fallen on the Post Office, it would not have taken three months to open a new one.

“We are supposed to be a modern country, but we are worse than a banana republic.”

Cllr Fulford said a second meeting with officials is due to be held at the Town Hall next Thursday at 7pm.