South Londoners Defend their Crown Office

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Residents, local politicians and the parish vicar gathered at a south London Crown Office this morning to call for a rethink over plans to franchise the office to a private retailer.

Waving their own homemade banner outside Walworth Road Post Office, the protesters chanted: “Save Our Post Office,” while passers-by stopped to voice their support – some joining the demonstration – and motorists tooted their horns as they drove by.

CWU executive member Ian Ward said that this was “just one of many similar protests that are happening right across the country.

“Local people need their Crown offices and franchising means a reduction in service in the short term and often leads to a closure in the longer term,” he added.

Left to Right: Jeremy Leach, Neil Coyle, Ian Ward and Eleanor KerslakeAs an example of this, Reverend Katy Hacker Hughes, of St Paul’s Lorrimore Square Church, explained that a Crown Post Office within the parish (at nearby Elephant and Castle) had been franchised to a retailer and then subsequently closed.

“This Post Office here is always busy – you can see the queues now even before it’s opened,” she continued, “and any reduction would have a really big effect on local people.”

Local councillor Eleanor Kerslake (Newington Ward) and constituency MP Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) also cited the experience of the Elephant and Castle franchising and expressed the concern that franchising, as well as impacting negatively in terms of service to the public, also leads to lower wages for staff.

“We’re greatly concerned about this,” said Ms Kerslake, who described the Walworth Road office as “a real community asset that we’re determined to save.”

Mr Coyle said that he has tabled a formal Parliamentary Question about the Post Office franchising plan to the relevant Government Department and is awaiting a reply.

“The big concerns are loss of service to the public and the jobs and pay of the staff here,” he explained, and added: “If the Post Office is looking for a partner, why not re-integrate it with the Royal Mail? – isn’t that the obvious solution?”

Local residents Jeremy Leach and Ken Jalloh intend to campaign as hard as they can to try to stop the franchise.

Speaking on behalf of community group The Walworth Society, Jeremy Leach said: “We’re hoping to organise a public meeting soon, to take this campaign forward,” and Ken added: “We’re part of the community and we need our post office.”

Ian Ward explained that the CWU will also be helping to organise the public meeting, which is expected to take place within the next few weeks, and Rev Hughes has offered the church hall as a venue.