Threat to Our Post Offices

11.26.00am GMT Tue 26th Feb 2008

A fifth of all post offices in London are facing closure as part of a wider move to shut 2,500 branches nationwide. The Post Office has begun a a six week consultation on plans to close 169 of the capital's 850 post offices. It says that Londoners would see no change to their nearest branch under the proposals - yet Liberal Democrats have revealed figures highlighting the fact that London has twice as many people for each branch as the rest of the country. Lib Dem Mayoral Candidate, Brian Paddick, in a BBC interview (see Liberal Democrats national website) has condemned the proposed closures as exhibiting complete disregard for the needs of local communities.

In Woodford the proposed closure is at 213 High Road, which would mean that nearest alternatives would be at the Broadway, The Castle or George Lane - not very helpful for the elderly or infirm who live in the "triangle" or the Laing's estate and who do not have private transport. In Chingford the proposed closure is 299 Hall Lane near the North Circular - again quite a trek to the nearest alternative on the Mount. And when customers do arrive at the alternatives they will be greeted by even longer queues. Apart from users, thought must also be given to the hard working sub-postmasters who have built up their businesses and been an integral part of local life for many years.

In both cases we are mounting campaigns to try Save Our Post Offices.

Afzal Mailk posting a letter of thanks to the Royal Mail

In the meantime we have had a minor success on the matter of post. After Afzal Malik, one of our Vice Chairmen and a former sub-postmaster, wrote to the Royal Mail, we have secured the placement of an additional pillar box at Chingford Mount towards Old Church. We had been concerned that the small box in the wall by Chingford Cemetery was invariably full and that overflowing mail could be removed. It was nearly a year from the time of Afzal's first letter to the the time the box was installed because of utility works along the Mount but, happily, the Royal Mail delivered in the end.