Repay £50k or lose Post Office

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Link to Original Article

Apr 17 2008 by Gavin OConnor, South Wales Echo

A POSTMASTER forced to close his post office as part of nationwide cutbacks has been hit with a £50,000 cash demand from the National Assembly.

Phil Bullen has been told he must pay back the money which he received as a grant to redevelop Old St Mellons post office in Newport Road, Cardiff.

Mr Bullen, 40, has run the business for 10 years after taking over from his parents, who themselves kept it going for 16 years before him.

The post office served its community for more than 80 years after opening in 1923, but has now fallen victim to the Government’s closure plans.

However, Mr Bullen said the grant money was applied for, and spent, prior to any knowledge of what was going to happen to his post office.

Now he has been told by the Assembly the £50,000 must be repaid.

“Before November 2003, the business was operating successfully, with no immediate plans to redevelop, relocate or expand,â€

[norbert]

C4 The Home of" Big Brother", gets £150 million subsidy for it's "Public Service" Broadcasting; the same as the Post Office which isn't enough to save 2,500 branches from closure . Staff are taking 1-2 to 1 van loads a day but they aren't busy enough apparently .