Shirehall officials will get together next week to begin formulating a Shropshire recovery plan in the wake of the Post Office announcement that it wants to close 28 branches and mobile services across the county.There has been widespread anger at the cash-saving proposals and warnings that communities will be devastated if the closures go ahead.
But county council officers are still working on an impact analysis to see what the exact damage will be, both on the lives of local people and on the Shropshire economy. They have already gathered a good deal of data.
They are now re-running it after the announcement yesterday and will be using this next week when they start looking in more detail at a recovery plan.
The plan is likely to include business advice for both the remaining network and those businesses which have lost their post office facility.
But the officers will also consider the possibility of a loyalty programme to encourage greater customer use of shops and other local facilities such as garages, which include a threatened post office, and could see their viability seriously undermined if the facility is lost.
In the meantime, the council is offering what help it can to people fighting to save their post offices, and tomorrow leading members will be voicing their concerns when they meet senior post office managers at the Shirehall.
This Friday the issue will also come under the spotlight at a meeting of the full county council.
Shrewsbury Labour member, Liz Parsons, will call on the authority to follow the example of Essex County Council.
Last month it was revealed that the Essex authority is aiming to take over as many as 15 branch offices for the next three years and has earmarked £1.5 million for the scheme.
A number of protests have already been been staged in Shropshire at the closure plans, one of the first being at Hadnall near Shrewsbury. Others are also being planned.
There are fears that the elderly are going to be particularly hard hit by closures, and yesterday they were voicing their worries, along with shock and anger.
Widow Irene Cooper, 92, who lives near the Greenfields post office in Shrewsbury, said: “I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m dependent on this post office.
“I didn’t think this would be on the list. I’m devastated and shocked.”
Ida Sewell, 97,added: “It would be a big loss. It does provide a great service for people in the area.”
Another Greenfields resident, Pat May, said the post office provided a vital service for the elderly, some of whom cannot get into town.
Margaret Buckle, 76, of Montford Bridge, near Shrewsbury, said the loss of the village post office would hit people hard.
She said: “This is the only place round here for us to go apart from going to Shrewsbury which is a bind really.
“For those that can’t go long distances, like the elderly, then this post office is ideal. I will be signing the petition to save it without a doubt.”
Simone Robinson, from Three Horse Shoes Inn in Sambrook, near Newport, said the proposed closure of Sambrook post office at Standford Service Station, would be a blow to the community.
“These post offices are just dying out,” she said.
“I’ve always thought the post office is at the heart of the community. I think everyone here will be quite upset about it.”
Les Winwood, chairman of Bridgnorth District Council, seemed to capture the mood yesterday.
He said: “We don’t want to see any post office closed, especially within rural areas and towns. It’s a sad day and I hope people protest loudly.”
However, there was a different take on things at West Felton near Oswestry where the sub post office in the village stores is earmarked for closure but will be replaced with an outreach service.
The person losing out in the proposed changes will be sub postmistress Rebecca Walters, whose brother runs West Felton Stores.
But Rebecca said she was positive about the future.
The proposed new service is for an outreach point in the store, open four mornings a week, including Saturdays.
By Dave Morris
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