Protester chronicles campaign efforts to save village PO

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Protester chronicles campaign efforts to save village post office in a new book

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A BOOK has been written chronicling the campaign to save Langworth Post Office.

Protesters tried everything to highlight the plight of their village branch, including building a brick wall outside a government department after running into numerous stumbling blocks during their campaign.

Despite the campaign group's inventive efforts, Langworth Post Office closed in July 2008.

Since then, campaigner Terry O'Halloran has been putting together a book of all the stories, photographs and letters he collected during the project, many of which show the history of the post office.


The book, called The Fight for our Post Office, will be published on September 8.

Mr O'Halloran said: "During the 11 month campaign to save the post office, we accumulated a huge amount of material, photographs and records and we didn't want to just throw it all out.

"We also thought it would serve to remind people about what happened when next year's post office review starts.

"Ours is a generic story that was repeated around the country in rural, suburban and urban areas.

"Post offices were hubs of the community, where people met and spoke to each other."

During the protest, the group stopped traffic on the A158 to gain support from motorists and even appeared in a YouTube video trying to rally help from across the UK.

Despite the closure, Mr O'Halloran remains hopeful the post office review could bring good news.

He said: "The book is partly so we remember how important the post office was, but also I'm hoping that when the review happens, the Langworth branch might reopen.

"There is nothing stopping it from happening. It was viable before and it will be again.

"Some of the communities have been deprived to pay for the deficit."

When the post office closed, the villagers also lost their one remaining shop.

West Lindsey District councillor Meg Davidson said: "The two went hand-in-hand. I am sure it was quite profitable.

"Now if someone needs a pint of milk, they have to get in their car and drive, which is moving away from what we are supposed to be doing in building a community.

"This book is important because it really shows the community coming together to try to save the post office. Even though the campaign failed, something positive has come out of it."