Post office closures revealed

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Dozens of post offices across Sussex are due to be axed by the end of next year as part of the Government's plans to curb losses.

The hitlist of 49 branches was drawn up under the Network Change campaign in which 2,500 branches will be closed nationwide to help reduce the £4 million officials claim post offices are losing every week.

The Government says four million fewer people are using the 14,000-strong network of branches each week compared with two years ago.

Last night MPs and postmasters reacted with horror as the full scale of the cutbacks in Sussex became clear.

Closures will affect 12 of the county's 16 constituencies - with Crawley, Bognor and Littlehampton, Chichester and Brighton Kemptown the only ones not included.
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Seaford postmistress Angie Hindocha said: "They call themselves the people's Post Office.

In my opinion they are anything but.

"I think they seem to have forgotten about the elderly who are unable to get to main post offices. Not everybody has two good feet and can get a bus or drive a car."

Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson said: "We will not take these latest plans lying down."

The Government has promised after the closures residents in urban areas will remain within one mile of a post office and rural residents will be within three miles of a branch.

The Department for Business has said it will provide up to £1.7 billion until 2011 to "modernise and rationalise" the network. This will include creating 500 "outreach" service points or mobile stations nationwide to serve some of the smaller communities.

Today the Government begins a six-week public consultation on the closures, during which time campaigners will have a chance to put forward cases for retaining certain branches earmarked for closure.

The news will remove post offices entirely from some villages including Copthorne, near Crawley, Washington, near Worthing, and Upper Dicker, near Hailsham.

It will be a devastating blow to small business communities, who depend on the passing trade brought in by customers at the branches.

The announcement is also expected to cause problems for elderly people and those with limited mobility, who will have difficulty reaching the remaining branches.

It was met with bitter opposition by Sussex MPs from all three major parties.

David Lepper, the Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion has launched a campaign against proposed closures of four branches in his constituency.

He said: "It is the management of Post Office Ltd which is letting down the public by allowing so much business to drift away from the Post Office over the last few years."

Nancy Platts, Labour candidate for the constituency when Mr Lepper retires at the next general election, said: "These proposals are obviously made by people who know nothing about the areas affected.

"They have even disregarded criteria they are supposed to take into account like the geography of the area and the availability of public transport.

"There are many people living along Preston Road. Those people will have no post office available if this goes ahead.

"Bureaucrats suggest Matlock Road or Preston Drove post offices are suitable alternatives, completely overlooking the fact there is no direct public transport from that part of Preston Road and that there are steep hills to either alternative, which mean walking is not really an option.

"As for driving, not only is that a bad option environmentally.

Parking is already at a premium near the Preston Drove post office and in Matlock Road.

"Proposals like this made by putting data in a computer show a complete lack of concern for people.

"Those running our post offices get to know their customers well over the years and provide a really personal service.

"When closures like this happen it is always the most vulnerable on low incomes, families with small children and the elderly who suffer most."

Conservative Wealden MP Charles Hendry said communities were scared to fight to save their post office after a threatening letter had been sent out in September.

He said he had tabled a parliamentary question to ministers last week asking them to confirm each branch was entitled to start a campaign and was in no danger of having its compensation revoked.

He hopes to get a reply today.

Mr Hendry said: "There was a very forceful letter saying they could lose their compensation if they told people about the proposals. We raised this with the Post Office and they withdrew the letter but continued to say the information had to be confidential.

People are bound to still be a little bit scared so I have tabled the question so postmasters are in no doubt they will not be penalised if they express their views.

"I understand the need for confidentiality but it was really bully-boy tactics to suggest they would withdraw compensation. I want everyone to be completely clear there will be no comeback if they fight now.

"Everyone needs to get together and campaign as hard as they can. Unfortunately the way this has been organised means if one post office is saved another nearby will be added to the list. It is a system which is pitting community against community, which is very unsatisfactory."

Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown Des Turner is concerned about the Elm Grove closure, in Brighton, which will affect his constituents. He said: "I see no good reason for closing this post office. It will affect several thousand of my constituents, particularly the elderly population who get their pension there.

"I can't understand what's happening to the post office network. The management seems to have a death wish."

Conservative MP Mr Waterson attacked plans to close five branches in his constituency.

He said: "I know all these post offices are vital for their local communities and are popular with residents.

"They are especially important to older people.

Although the Wannock post office is just outside my constituency, it is used by many of my constituents.

"The campaign has already started to save the Willingdon village post office. I will fight alongside residents to save the others."

Conservative MP for Worthing West Peter Bottomley could lose two branches in his constituency on top of the seven that have disappeared during the past three years.

He said: "The people who suffer most are local businesses who have to queue up and elderly people or those who have children and find travelling greater distances much more inconvenient.

"This will also hit shops near to closing post offices because they will lose passing trade."

The Liberal Democrats have launched a national petition, which they plan to present at Downing Street in the new year.

Lib Dem MP for Lewes Norman Baker will lose seven branches in his constituency under the proposals. He said: "These closures will hit local people, especially older residents, very hard indeed. We intend to fight the planned closures and keep these post offices open.

"Labour and Conservative governments have decimated our post office network. Only the Lib Dems have a plan to save our local post offices and to open new post offices when needed."

Conservative Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb said he was concerned the proposals could be followed by a fresh run of closures later.

He said: "I'm relieved there haven't been more closures in my constituency.

"We missed the axe this time because we have suffered from post office closures in the last few years. But there is always a fear a future run of closures will affect people in Littlehampton and Bognor."

Angie Hindocha, who runs the Claremont Road post office branch in Seaford, said many of her customers used either wheelchairs or sticks to get around. She criticised the Government "outreach"

proposals including mobile post office services, saying they were a poor substitute for the post office, which provided a lifeline for many people.

She said: "People come up here and meet other people and they go home and won't speak to anyone until tomorrow. A mobile would come once a week. It's not the same. I wouldn't have thought it was very safe either."

Campaign group for small businesses Business Link Sussex warned the closures would affect rural areas economically and encouraged people to campaign against the closures. The group's farms adviser, John Evans, said: "There are other possibilities available rather than outright closure.

"In some parts of the country, post office services are provided in pubs or village shops. They are important economically and socially, so it is essential local people get involved or a great resource may be lost forever."