Post Offices could be saved by moving to local libraries

Central London post offices threatened with closure could be relocated in council buildings such as libraries under plans unveiled today.

Westminster council says it wants to stop the “catastrophe” of post offices disappearing and “ripping the heart” out of communities. It has held talks with Royal Mail bosses.

It believes it can make loss-making branches financially viable by allowing them to handle some council services, such as rent collection, or move into council buildings such as libraries or “one-stop shop” advice centres.

In Westminster one major Crown post office, the Harrow Road branch, is under threat of closure and another, in Poland Street, Soho, is moving into a WH Smith half a mile away in Oxford Street.

Since 2003, six post offices have shut in the borough and four more could be axed under a national closure programme unveiled in May.

Tony Devenish, who chairs Westminster’s post office taskforce, said: “While we understand post offices need to be able to sustain themselves financially, it would be a catastrophe for our most vulnerable residents if the vital service were to disappear. If post office counters can be set up within WH Smith, there is no reason why they couldn’t do the same inside council-run facilities.” However, he said talks were at an early stage.

Royal Mail is planning to axe about 150 post offices across London over two years as part of its plan to stem the network’s £200 million-a-year losses. In 2002 there were 1,200 branches. By next year there will be about 750.

A petition to save the Harrow Road branch has been signed by 4,000 residents.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “The Post Office is working to establish the future for the branch, including exploring the option of working with a partner.”