Celebration as villagers save sorting office - Hook

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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VILLAGERS have won their battle to save a vital sorting office in Hook.

Royal Mail announced in April that the delivery office in Osborn Way was set to close, affecting customers in the RG27 (Hook) and RG29 (Odiham) postcode areas.

Residents were horrified as it would mean having to travel to Basingstoke to pick up their undelivered mail.

Hook Parish Council kick-started a campaign to oppose the cost-cutting move and enlisted the help of Hook MP James Arbuthnot and Hart district councillors Brian Burchfield, Jonathan Glen and Sean Haffey.

Village leaders urged residents to voice their concerns on the Royal Mail website.

The campaign was so successful that Royal Mail has now decided to keep the sorting office open.

The news has delighted villagers including Cllr Burchfield, who was elected to represent Hook ward in the May local elections.

He said: “During my election campaign one of the issues I heard on the doorstep was that the closure would be a burden to people who regularly use the sorting office to pick up packages.

“Those people who rely on the sorting office and would have found it difficult to collect packages from Basingstoke ranged from small businesses who regularly rely on this facility to elderly citizens of Hook who could not travel into Basingstoke due to a lack of transport.

"We started a campaign shortly after I won the election in May, having posted an article in the Hook Focus magazine detailing what Royal Mail’s decision was and how to lodge a complaint on its website.

“We also passed the information to Hook Parish Council who in turn passed it to local schools who informed the parents.”

Cllr Burchfield said he received nearly 100 emails about the issue and helped guide those writing to him in how to lodge a complaint.

“Obviously, the voice of the people has been heard and on Friday July 15 I was informed by Royal Mail, through James Arbuthnot’s office, that it has rescinded its decision on the matter.”

Announcing the closure in April, Royal Mail said it was down to a fall in the amount of mail sent due to the growth of electronic communications. It added the move would provide improved working conditions, secure employment and be a more cost-effective option.

However, a Royal Mail spokesman said this week: “Having carried out further assessments of our proposal, and having given the matter careful consideration, we have taken the decision that Hook delivery office will remain where it is and will not be relocating to Basingstoke.

“Mail for the RG27 and RG29 postcode areas will continue to be delivered from Hook. Collection arrangements for customers who need to pick up mail we have previously tried to deliver will not be affected.”

[Wessex]

Blimey , there's a first .

[fishtank]

Is it more to do with the dismal failure of the park&loop revisions though?
I would imagine closures like this are planned around the introduction of p&l.

[Royal_Fail]

Something stinks here we know the reason for closing offices is to save money and we know RM don't do things out of the goodness of their heart.

So whats the real reason for u-turn i wonder

[Lounge Lizard]

It'll be because mail volumes are increasing but they won't admit it.