Has anyone saved their Post Office?

[UnquietDad]

Advice gratefully received on campaigning etc. if you have. Leaflets have gone out in ours today about "consultation" over closure - they found out this morning.

So, so pissed off - and what a coincidence, they've done it just as the Boundary Commission has confirmed we'll be in a Lib Dem-held seat next time, not a safe Labour one as before. So they're not risking any votes over it. And they wouldn't dare try this in certain postcodes.

Not sure yet what local campaigns are running, but a councillor on the local forum has a downloadable poster already. Obviously lots of people will put this in their window, but if the government have already made up their minds, will anything like this make a difference?

The really galling thing is that it is used - it's always really busy.

[DiscoDizzy]

No, despite a mahoosive petition.

Arses

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Dunno....we've been busy campaigning to save our local hospital and are 3/4's of the way there though. Our local MP has been fighting it though which helps.

[expatinscotland]

Was part of a massive campaign as well.

That failed .

[UnquietDad]

Our MP's not going to be our MP at the next election, and she is a Labour toady robocow anyway, so it'll make no difference asking her. On the other hand our likely new MP is a very prominent Lib Dem, so he may get involved...

[Dottoressa]

Ours is really, really busy - and our very big local campaign (posters, meetings with MPs, meetings with PO representatives and so on) made absolutely no difference. It will be closed regardless. We are mightily peeved!

To add insult to injury, two POs more or less next door to one another in a neighbouring Labour ward (ours is Lib Dem so, again, there are no votes to be lost in closing the PO) have stayed open. These POs had letters in advance of the proposed closures, saying that they would have to be on the list, but that their POs would be safe all the same.

If that's not off-pissing, then I don't know what is...

Good luck - I hope you do better than we did!

[NigellaTheOriginal]

if our bloody post office opened at weekends and early evenings when most people couild actually use it i may be more inclined to wANT TO SAVE IT.
WHAT SORT OF ARCHAIC BUSINESS ISN'T OPEN ON A SATURDAY?
sorry caps.

[UnquietDad]

Ours is attached to a shop which is at the heart of the community. Don't know what would happen to that.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Our PO is closing down because the cow lady who runs it has decided it down't make any money. The lovely lady who ran it for her wanted a payrise to help with her fuel costs, now the owner is going to fill it with crap for the tourists to buy in the shor time they are down here rather than looking after the greater needs of the community. Last time I went in there, there was a huge queue for he PO.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

We live in a rural village with a high elderly population all year round and inundated with visitors in the summer.

[UnquietDad]

5gomad - different situation then. Ours is earmarked as part of the government "programme".

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Our town PO was 'saved' by being merged with a new budgens.

Our local MP is a labour lady. She's pretty good, under the circumstances. In fact, had a letter in the post from her today.

[onepieceoflollipop]

UqD our local Post Office is facing closure. I have signed the petition and written in with my concerns. Don't hold out much hope though

My dh went to our residents' association meeting (he goes regularly) and the chair said that as far as he knew once the decision has been made then the P Office gets shut down - he got the impression that the consulatation process is just a formality. Not sure if that is fact though or just hearsay.

The two alternative "local" offices are much smaller, quieter and less accessible. Neither of them have parking nearby. On a personal note current sub postmaster and his wife are really lovely, community minded people. Have worked there for 19 years and have a young family.

Nigella afaik (used to work in a local Post Office) all are open on Saturday mornings.

[Dottoressa]

UDad - so's ours. We are hoping that the shop will remain a shop, but are not holding our breath...

Our PO is right next to a large block of retirement flats, but that obviously counts for nothing!

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

UD, I know so pissed off as the Parish Cpuncil have been planning like mad how hey would try and save it if it was eramarked and she goes and does it anyway.

[Dottoressa]

Oh, and it is open on Saturday mornings, and until late-ish at night!

[expatinscotland]

Ours was also axed as part of a programme.

We also face closure of ALL tax offices from here to the tip of the Cowal Penninsula to Oban - an massive area.

The hozzie was saved, well, they've spun of some of its functions to Paisley, a distance of about 60 miles that requires a ferry crossing and about another hour of driving to access and 2 hours using public transport, in the name of centralisation.

Instead, they wind up choppering people through on a daily basis from a number of localities in the area, a real money-saver, I'm sure.

[NigellaTheOriginal]

can i be ever so controversial and suggest that if living in a rural area why not visit the post office when you go to the GP or supermrket or bank in a bigger town or pay your bils by direct debit or get pension/benefits paid directly into your account?
am i being a bit thick in thinking that the only real reason to actually go to a post office would be to post a parcel or letter that doesn't fit ina box and actually its not really that neccessary. or am i missing the point?

[UnquietDad]

Consultation process is just a formality? Well, strike me pink! Just like the "consultation" over the school merger, then...

It's insulting that they mention two other "local" branches which are in totally different suburbs. They even try to counter people's objections by mentioning free buses. The gall of it.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Nigella - I run a small B&B and I did all my banking there as the nearest bank is 10 miles away as opposed to 1 for the PO

[UnquietDad]

Nigella - people go into our rural post office who are older, who don't want to travel far, who enjoy having it on their doorstep... They also combine it with going to the shop, as it;s all part of the same place... So many reasons.

We have sent DD down with letters before, and no way would we do that for one that was a 2 miles away...

[CantSleepWontSleep]

We are campaigning to save ours at the moment. Apparently some do get saved, but less than 20% .

[NigellaTheOriginal]

obviously it is easier if there is one on the doorstep but these places are run as businesses and if not actually making any money they aren't going to be kept open for conveniences sake.

[Dottoressa]

UQD - you are saying it all for me!!

[onepieceoflollipop]

Nigella some people in rural areas don't go to a bigger town for shopping or other purposes. This may be by choice, or (more often) due to the appalling lack of public transport in rural areas. My parents used to run a village Post Office, many of the "locals" - and not just elderly people - rarely left the village. (one couple with young family went to the local town once a year for example to buy school uniforms)

I guess it depends on your viewpoint. For many people the demise of the local Post Office (often attached to the shop) erodes local community a bit more and destroys another local business. We all have differing opinions on this obviously.

[OracleInaCoracle]

our local PO (randlay in telford) was saved. a lot of locals (including MIL) kicked up a fuss. dont know if it helped, but it is def staying open.