Bradford city centre sorting office closes its doors

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... its_doors/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Royal Mail’s central sorting office in Bradford city centre will close today following a ceremony to rededicate its war memorial.

A service was held at the Bradford South Delivery Office, which is the new home for the tribute to Royal Mail and Post Office personnel who gave their lives during the first and second world wars.

The war memorial had been based in the reception area of the Bradford Mail Centre on Forster Square, but was moved last week before the office closes as part of a nationwide shake-up announced in 2010.

The Telegraph & Argus has previously reported that 184 members of staff currently based at the site will relocate to the newly refurbished Leeds Mail Centre, with 47 staying in the Bradford area on collection and delivery duties.

There were no compulsory redundancies, although 119 people chose to take voluntary redundancy.

The rededication ceremony, led by the Reverend Canon Ralph Crowe from St Chad’s Church in Bradford, was attended by Royal Mail staff as well as members of the Royal British Legion and Bradford Sea Cadets.

Hilary Pattison, Royal Mail’s mail centre strategy programme manager, said: “Royal Mail has a proud tradition of honouring our war memorials for Royal Mail and Post Office colleagues who fell during the first and second world wars.

“With the centenary of World War One coming up in 2014, it is a privilege to honour the sacrifice given by postal workers who lost their lives in both the wars.

“I am pleased we have been able to move the war memorial to another Royal Mail site in Bradford so that it is accessible for our people and the public.”

The war memorial was first installed at the mail centre when it opened in 1981.

Before then, it was housed in Bradford General Post Office, which was in operation for almost a century from 1887-1981.

The Post Office building is now known as St Peter’s House and is one of the few remaining original buildings remaining in Forster Square. There have been suggestions that it could be used for shops, offices or homes.