Dilton Marsh post office battle

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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SHOCKED villagers in Dilton Marsh have set up a petition to save their post office and store, after a notice appeared on its door saying it will shut for good on September 28.

It was a complete surprise in the village and people have been quick to start up a petition to keep the shop and post office open. Both are already operating on reduced hours.

Their mail service was last under threat in 2007, when Dilton Marsh Post Office, then in High Street, avoided closure after the Post Office said 2,500 branches would shut.

It was moved to the convenience store in High Street in 2008, but customers now face the prospect of going to the Westbury Co-op’s branch.

Jayne Bosson,of Woodland View, a teaching assistant at Matravers School, said: “Nobody knew anything until the notice was put up on Monday and I took it on myself to do something about it.

“I decided to set up a petition, because we have lots of older residents who use the post office and if it goes they will have to go to Westbury, which would be difficult for those without cars.

“Everyone is up in arms about it and people have been asking what they can do to help, but we are running out of time. It’s the heart of our village, while also being used by many of the surrounding areas like Westbury Leigh and Chapmanslade.”

Landlord of the premises Chris Brown, who ran the shop until 2003, said: “Since I found out about this at 9.30am on Tuesday, I have been doing my level best to keep this shop and post office open.”

Suzanne McGee, skills for life co-ordinator at Fairfield Farm College, said: “The closure would have a big impact on our students, as they learn about money skills through visiting the post office.”

A Post Office spokesman said: “The Post Office is committed to maintaining a service in Dilton Marsh and customers should be assured that we will work hard to ensure this.”

One option could be a Hosted Service, in a community building or business, which would offer customers Post Office services during specified hours on set days.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Officially, there is no closure programme in operation at the moment.

Unofficially, they are closing offices left, right and centre. Back door closures, who'd have thought it.
Know a post mistress going through the process, and she has been told to tell her customers that it is entirely her fault that the office is to close.