Post Offices WILL close (From Stourbridge News)

Post Offices WILL close

11:50am Wednesday 29th October 2008

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CAMPAIGNERS have lost their hard-fought battles to keep their community post offices open.

The Post Office Ltd yesterday (Wednesday) confirmed worst fears that all seven offices across Stourbridge, Kingswinford and Brierley Hill earmarked for the chop are to close.

As part of the cost-cutting scheme, which Post Office bosses claim is vital to preserve the future of the network, post offices in Barnett Lane - Kingswinford, Silver End - Brierley Hill, Brockmoor, Pedmore, Oldswinford, Quarry Bank and Clent are to go, and could shut their doors as early as next month.

Stourbridge MP Lynda Waltho said: “I’m really shocked.”

She particularly slammed the decision to close Quarry Bank Post Office - which residents and traders fear could sound the death knell for the struggling High Street.

Lynda said: “It’s just a slap in the face for for the people of Quarry Bank who have worked really hard on this.

“I think the Post Office has ignored the deficiencies in their case - which was badly drawn up. I’m completely devastated. I don’t think the process has been fair in this particular case.”

The MP said more than 900 people had written to the Post Office stating why the Quarry Bank office should kept open.

Meanwhile Dudley South MP Ian Pearson said he was “bitterly disappointed” at the decision to close Silver End, Barnett Lane and Brockmoor post offices in his constituency.

He said: “Closing three vital post offices flies in the face of common sense and the needs of the community.”

The Post Office says 99 per cent of residents will see no change to their existing branch - or will remain within one mile, by road, of an alternative post office.

And bosses claim all information provided by customers during the consultation formed part of the final decision-making process.

Mark Partington, Post Office Ltd’s network development manager, added: “These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly. we have considered very carefull all the comments made during the public consultation.

“We believe the plan offers our customers the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the Government’s minimum access criteria and the other factors it has asked us to consider.”

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