Star’s front row seat for sporting history
- Local newspaper week
28 county post offices on hit-list
Tuesday 1st April 2008, 11:40AM BST.
Twenty eight post office branches and mobile services across Shropshire face the axe in a hit-list of closures revealed today.
The south of the county bears the brunt with 14 of the proposed closures announced by Post Office Ltd as part of national cash-saving programme.
See also – Don’t blame us, says Brown
But services are also under threat in Shrewsbury, Telford & Wrekin, north Shropshire and the Oswestry area.
Protests have already been staged outside some branches and petitions have been launched amid warnings that communities will be devastated.
Ludlow MP Philip Dunne said he was appalled that half of the proposed closures were in his constituency, adding: “Our remote village communities seem to have been singled out for this further body blow to sustaining village life.”
Shropshire County Council today repeated its pledge to to do all it can to safeguard facilities.
Councillor John Hurst-Knight, cabinet member for waste and economy, said: “We are naturally upset by any potential closures and will do everything we can to support communities affected.”
He added: “Officers are working on an impact analysis to see how these potential closures will affect Shropshire residents and we will respond accordingly to the Post Office as soon as possible.”
Daniel Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, was visiting all five of the listed post offices in the Shrewsbury area today.
He said at the Greenfields branch: “If an ordinary business is not making a profit it is difficult sometimes for the state to intervene. But if the business is providing a vital service like post offices it is important taxpayers’ money is used to support them because of the massive service they provide for people.”
Mohamed and Rubbina Shaheen have run the Greenfields Post Office for 18 months, putting in an estimated £80,000 of the family’s money into the business.
Mr Shaheen said: “It came as a surprise to us and we were both appalled and devastated by the news.”
At Randlay post office in Telford, Conservative parliamentary spokesman Tom Biggins said: “This is one of the busiest post offices in Telford. People frequently have to queue, even on a Saturday.”
Nationally the Post Office has plans to close about 1,500 branches. A six-week public consultation is being held.
Branches facing axe:
All Stretton, Church Stretton; Aston On Clun, Clun Road, Aston On Clun; Sunner Stores, Church Aston; Coton Service Station, Coton, Whitchurch; Ditherington, Shrewsbury; East Hamlet, Ludlow and Greenfields, Shrewsbury.
Harmer Hill, Wem Road, Harmer Hill; Hilton, near Bridgnorth; Knowbury, New Pitts Cottage, Knowbury, Ludlow; Lydbury North, 61 Lydbury North; Morda, The Post Office, Oswestry; Park Corner, 1-3 King Street, Wellington, Telford; Randlay, Unit 1 Local Centre, Randley, Telford; Standford Service Station, Sambrook, Newport and The Hobbins, Bridgnorth.
The following Post Office branches are proposed for replacement by an outreach solution:
Acton Burnell, Shrewsbury; Cressage, near Shrewsbury; Hadnall, near Shrewsbury; Marton, near Welshpool; Montford Bridge, near Shrewsbury; Munslow, Aston Munslow Garage, Munslow, Craven Arms; Norton, The Old School, Village Road, Norton, Shifnal; Quatt, Bridgnorth; Snailbeach, Shrewsbury; Wentnor, The Shop, 2 Rock Close, Wentnor Bishop’s Castle; West Felton,The Cross, West Felton, Oswestry and Worthen, near Shrewsbury.
By Dave Morris
Sponsored Links
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Other than in major industry what other businesses would government help be on hand to stop businesses going to the wall?
Just check out the number of pubs closing each and every day, they too are a social gathering place,do they get subsidised?
Report abuse
Post offices are business and if they were needed so much then surely they would be both busy and profitable.
If these places were not social gathering places then maybe people like myself would be more inclined to use them. I like many people avoid post offices due to all the ‘saga louts’ hanging around for a chat with the cashier while people that are busy and in a rush are forced to wait. Yet I’m sure for making this statement I will get accused of being heartless and even ageist.
Report abuse
ts privatisation gone mental.. the conservatives would have done the same – what really would change things in this country was if an independant organisation (yeh, another i know) was set the task to factor into every level of every type of provision the “social value-added” quality of them – eg swimming pools add value to the health of locals – which is then saved out of the NHS budget as they use it less – lets have some REAL joined up thinking – Post offices would be the same, especially in rural districts.
Report abuse
I’m afraid that no matter how many protests are held and petitions are signed the Post Office will have their way and close those offices they want to. Any talk of a consultation period is meaningless to them – it’s just a ploy to make them look good in the publics eye before they finally start the closures.We’ve seen it all before. Look at Shrewsbury for instance.
Report abuse
Big Matty, you are being heartless and ageist! Cliff, why dont we just get rid of everything that doesnt make a profit? Shut everything down! Is that really what you want?
Report abuse
Saga Louts ?? You need to get out more Big Matty if your only problem is the queue at your local Post Office…
Oh sorry I forgot it’s closed now so you will have to take on the elderley elsewhere !
I am 41 incidentally.
Report abuse
This is really not that surprising.First the TV license stops using the post office. Pensioners are encouraged to have pensions directly into a bank account, instead of queing up at the counter for cash.I signed the petition against closing Shrewsbury Main PO, for what I am not sure, as I am sure the decission must have already been made.
I now live in Spain.I hope the British PO won’t go the way of the Correos (Spanish Post Office). Not many offices about, and not very effiecient or quick to deliver.
Report abuse
as a government owned company, the Post Office is not obliged to make a profit and should they be making a loss, then who would it be to pick up the bill? The sooner they shrink the network, the quicker the government will allow other private companies to offer “similar” services. I for one use my local post office regularly for my business and I agree with Big Matty – why should I wait in line for half an hour whilst every single customer in the queue is sold Car Insurance, Home Insurance, Travel Insurance, Credit Cards, Loans, when all they want is stamps, car tax, or to withdraw money!!!
Report abuse
Saga Louts did make me laugh I have to say! lets face it the whole country is changing whether for the good or bad who can say? but like Big Matty says businesses have to stand on there own or its the chop! practically the only time I use one is to tax the car! and that can now be done online?
Report abuse
Post Offices are almost obsolete: it’s 2008, not 1920. Take a step back and look at the real world, people! Everything is automated via banks and the internet now. Why should the tax payer subsidise this outdated monstrosity to the tune of £4,000,000 each week [and it still makes a loss] so that a few village idiots have a meeting place for a chat?
Report abuse
If these POs are really the ‘hub’ of the community then they’d be used,
An oportunistic Tory and ‘man of the people’ Maxwell Winchester saying so doesn’t make it true.
If they are not used close them down….
Report abuse
Unfortunately the Post Office like any other business needs to be profitable, or at least brake even. Keeping a small post office with maybe one counter, open when it is only used for a short time each week is not economic. The overheads must be huge with security, safes and alarm systems plus cash deliveries.
Many people now have benfits and pensions paid in to their bank accounts (which is much more secure). An elderly person leaving a post office on pension day is a open invitation for a mugger. Car tax can be renewed online or by phone, you can withdraw cash free at most banks. Corner shops sell stamps. Parcel companies will collect from you home address.
The post office has probably been kept going over the last few years by e-bay!
Report abuse
Why oh why do the tories try and play political games on this issue! David Cameron promised a new politics but jumps on this band wagon!
Doesn’t it come down to whether you want to carrying on pumping £4 million of public money A WEEK into the post office network or accept that those that are not profitable (or do not provide a surplus if you really think the post office is a public organisation) or whether you accept that some not all but some post office should be closed.
In my town of Telford there is one that may be closed, but it does not take a brain box to work out why it may be closed, it is so close to the main Town’s centre post office you would naturally go too. On a final note I would suggest that if we as a local community were so concerned to keep the post office open why not put pressure on Telford and Wrekin Council to find money to take them over? – but let’s not complain if services are cut and council tax goes up!!
Report abuse
If something isn’t profitable why should the non-users subsidise the rest?
PS
I’m over 50, can I be part of the Saga Lout gang? Terrific comment, only one regret..I should have thought of it first…..
Report abuse
cliff, your house insurance is subsidising those unfortunates who suffer floods, fires etc. i thought we had lost thatcherism some years ago. and if peasebody has his way you had better lock up your children as they could be used again by the blacksmith
Report abuse
James Adams, the Tories don’t need to play political games. It is no game at all. When Labour MPs tell their constituents that they support the retention of Post Offices in their constituencies and campaign with their electorate against closure, and then BY A PRE-ARRANGED PLAN, VOTE FOR CLOSURE IN THE COMMONS DEBATE,this is “politics”, big time. The New Labour MPs adopted tactics which strike at the very heart of a liberal, democratic society of which, an essential element is based on “trust” between the elected and those that elect them.
If it is acceptable to you and others to be told one thing by your MP and later find that he/she did totally the opposite in The House of Commons then this say’s little for the democratic process or those that accept this situation without complaint or objection.
Whether Post Offices are viable and deserving of retention or unviable and justifying closure has nothing to do with it, what will be will be but what this issue does throw up is the rotteness of some of our elected representatives who think that lying, deceit, chicanery and loyalty to the party machine comes before the loyalty to and honesty with, their constituents. This is what this issue should be about.
Report abuse
Realist, dont pensioners get mugged at cash points? The Post Office is a public service that pretends to be a business as an excuse for the government to make cuts. If its a real business then show me a list of shareholders. You should fight to keep public services as one you use could be the next to go. I wonder if my tax bill will go down when all these POs close?
Report abuse
I am certainly not young but agree with Big Matty. Why DO people have to stop and chat at the counter while a queue forms behind them – if they want to chat they should join a day centre. Some of us have other things to do, even us older ones!
Sue
Report abuse
E mail has killed the post office. We don’t write letters anymore we text or email. Parcels have been privatised for years and most companies operating distance selling use private couriers. Supermarkets sell stamps and and most benefits are paid directly into bank accounts. I mostly receive bills and junk mail from the post office.
Report abuse
My husband and myself used to keep a rural Post Office and it grieves me very much to see them “going to the wall”. We found many a time that The Post Office was a place of hearing & helping people. People will tell a friendly face many things and get help and advice from such quarters. Destroy Post Offices Destroy our communities. We will see the cost when it is too late!
Kate Bradley
Report abuse