Sunday Mirror investigation reveals how three post offices a

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Sunday Mirror investigation reveals how three post offices are closing every week

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THREE post offices are closing down every WEEK, an investigation by the Sunday Mirror reveals.

Making a mockery of the Tory-led Government’s pledge to save post offices, we found that nearly 200 branches have been shut in the past year – but are not on ­official closure lists.

They are instead listed as “long-term temporary closures” by Royal Mail. In most cases, a sub-postmaster has retired or the business is no longer profitable.

Postmasters have seen annual income shrink by a quarter in recent years after contracts for handling over-the-counter payments for TV licences, benefits and utility bills went to banks and rival firm Pay-point. That means even fewer ­shopkeepers are prepared to take on loss-making ­branches – and those that do reopen are ­expected to offer slimmed-down services.

About 2,500 stores have shut in the past few years, yet campaigners warn there will be even more closures as David ­Cameron ploughs on with plans to ­privatise Royal Mail.

Since coming to power, Tory and Lib Dem ministers have promised there will be no repeat of the closure programme, claiming plans to sell off Royal Mail will safeguard the network.

But Billy Hayes of the Communication Workers Union said: “Playing around with terms like ‘long-term closure’ is an insult to communities who are losing their post offices. Many closures don’t register until it’s too late because they are misleadingly classed as ­temporary.”

Royal Mail said: “The important thing to remember is that the majority of branches reopen when there is a temporary closure.”

[demon]

tell them to look into royal mail saying that the amount of mail we get is dropping too we gre getting more than ever