Decisions on Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Post Office Branches Announced

Post Office Ltd today announced decisions on the future of Post Office® branches across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight following a six week public consultation ending on 26 November. Post Office® services will be provided through a network of 300 branches, which supports the national accessibility criteria introduced by the Government and ensures that 99.5% of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s population will either see no change to their existing branch or will remain within one mile (by road distance) of an alternative branch.

The plan confirmed today means that 61 branches will close in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight with the first closures scheduled to take place in February 2008. These branches were detailed in the Area Plan proposal published on 16 October 2007.

The replacement of eight branches by outreach solutions was also confirmed in principle today subject to final agreement with Postwatch. However for six of the branches, where Post Office Ltd is still to finalise detailed proposals a further consultation process will be held. Information on these proposals will be published shortly.

Following a review of issues raised during consultation Goodworth Clatford Post Office branch, originally proposed for closure will now remain open. Feedback showed concerns about a range of issues and that a disproportionate number of closures were proposed on the southern side of Andover, with the nearest branches to Goodworth Clatford – Anna Valley to the north and Leckford to the south – both being proposed for closure. .

Post Office Ltd has decided not to proceed with the proposal to replace Whitsbury Post Office branch with an outreach service, and now propose that the branch should close without any replacement outreach being established. The branch has very few customers making it very difficult for an outreach service to be viable for a core Sub postmaster. With no retail in the community residents already leave the area for their wider shopping needs. A six week period of consultation will begin on Tuesday 22 January on this new proposal.

These decisions have been reached after public consultation and Postwatch, the consumer body representing Post Office® customers, has verified the correct consultation procedures were followed. Postwatch has confirmed that it will not ask for any decision to be further reviewed by Post Office Ltd.