Busy post office is closing

A busy post office on the outskirts of a Mid Wales town will close this week.

Forden Post Office has been run from the Railway Inn public house, near Welshpool, for the past four years, but its owners have decided to sell up.

Post Office Ltd is now trying to find alternative premises and a new sub postmaster or mistress.

Mrs Pam Brewer, sub postmistress of Forden Post Office, said: "We have sold the pub and the new owner doesn't want to take on the post office as well, so unfortunately it will close tomorrow."

Lembit Opik, MP for Montgomeryshire, said the possibility of a post office returning to Forden looked bleak.

He said: "The Government plans to close up to 2,500 rural post offices across the country within the next few years.

"Post Office Ltd have announced that this is just a temporary closure in Forden, but the same was said about Nantoer Post Office in Newtown last summer. Nantoer is still closed and the building is now up for sale," he added.

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said: "We are currently looking into finding a new premises for the village post office."