Paul McCartney adds support to Post Office campaign

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisiswirral.co.uk/display.v ... mpaign.php

Sir Paul McCartney has added his support to the campaign to save Lower Heswall Post Office from closure.

Ben Chapman, Wirral South MP, has been calling on constituents to sign his parliamentary petition and respond to the six-week consultation, which ends on December 17, after proposals were announced to close the branch in his constituency.

The MP's petition gathered over 2,000 signatures in the first week from November 6, when the consultation period began, and will be presented to the House of Commons on December 11.

The petition calls on the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to review urgently, with the Post Office, the policy of branch closures with a view to maintaining a Post Office service in Heswall's Lower Village.

This is due to the large proportion of elderly people who rely on the service, the nearest alternative services being up a steep hill which presents problems for many of his customers and the extent to which other traders in the Village rely on people coming to the Post Office.

Sir Paul, listed in the Guinness book of World Records as the most successful musician and composer in popular-music history, with 60 gold discs and sales of 100 million singles, has a close association with the Post Office having previously lived in Lower Heswall and owned a house there for over 40 years.

He heard of the proposals from his brother, Wirral's Cultural Ambassador Mike McCartney, and has asked that a message be read out on his behalf.

This will be delivered by Mike McCartney at 9.30am on Monday (November 19) outside the Post Office in the Lower Village.

Mr Chapman, who is also fighting the closure of Lancelyn Court Post Office in Spital, added: "I'm assured that no decisions will be taken on individual post offices until the consultation is concluded and representations have been taken into account.

"I am delighted that Sir Paul has added his support in relation to the Lower Heswall.

As well as presenting the petition to Parliament.

"I will also be responding in writing to the consultation and want to encourage as many people as possible to do the same.

"It is imperative that as many people take part in the six-week consultation as possible.

"I hope that the Post Office will think again in relation to both Lower Heswall and Lancelyn Court."