Post Office plans causing concerns
Rural sub-postmasters and their customers in north Wiltshire are fearful and angry about proposed Government cuts, according to new research.
The Government believes the current network of post offices is unsustainable and needs restructuring.
In December 2006, it published a consultation document including proposals to end a special subsidy payment for rural post offices.
The Chippenham-based Citizen’s Advice Bureau surveyed a selection of postmasters and discovered that more than half would be forced to close as a result of the new measures. It says this will have devastating affects on the community.
CAB manager Sheila Venn said: “We know that for many local people, who come to us for advice, the local post office provides an invaluable service, whether it’s to buy groceries or cash pensions.
“We are very worried that it’s people on low incomes and those with mobility problems who could be worst hit if our local post offices close. We do not want people cut off from essential services.
“With one third of the post offices seeing no more than 100 people a week and one third seeing 100-500 people a week, allowing them to do more business could make a big difference – for example, allowing the sale of television licences or opening basic bank accounts.”
According to the research, which surveyed 15 sub-post offices in north Wiltshire in January, 63 per cent of sub-postmasters surveyed had worries for their customers and 91 per cent were concerned about the negative affect on the local community.
Olive and Richard Tovell, both in their 70s, run the Prospect Post Office in Lypiatt Road, Corsham.
Mrs Tovell said: “We are very distressed about the Government proposals and our regular customers are extremely distressed and upset about the prospect of our closure.
“We have no idea whether we will be closed down or not and we are not set to find out until the end of May.
“We have been here for nearly 27 years and we know most of our customers well. We are an intrinsic part of the community and people see us as part of the furniture.
“Many retired people come to us each week and they do not know what they will do if we close. So many of them cannot get to town because they don’t drive and others don’t have bank accounts to get money paid into. They rely on us completely.”
