Axe threatens rural post offices

10:57am Wednesday 27th August 2008

POST offices at Rushall, near Ledbury, and Edwin Ralph, near Bromyard, are threatened with closure under new government proposals.

And branches at Bishops Frome, Cradley and Upper Sapey are named as being suitable for replacement by "outreach services" - such as a mobile service or a service operated within a local shop or pub.

The post office has now launched a consultation process before taking a final decision on the closures.

Mark Partington, the Post Office’s network development manager for the region, said, “Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know will cause concern to many of our customers. We want to ensure that everyone who uses, relies on or has any concern with Post Office® services is both fully aware of the proposed changes, and able to give views on them."

But the post office is adamant that the consultation is not intended to provide a forum for debate on whether branches should close, but is about ensuring that Post Office Limited has the best available knowledge to allow it to make the most informed decisions about which branches should close.

The consultation will last until October 7.

More news and local reactions to the proposals will come to this website soon.

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