Post office too far for village

Jul 7 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

VILLAGERS in a tiny community are being urged to write to Post Office bosses calling on them to save their threatened shop.

A public meeting in the village hall at Rookhope, Weardale, County Durham, on Friday is expected to be attended by most of the community’s 260 residents.

The Post Office propose to replace the branch with an outreach service available only four hours a week. They say the Rookhope office can close because it is less than five miles from the Stanhope branch.

But local county councillor John Shuttleworth said: “They have measured the distance along a minor road which is too narrow for two cars to pass.

“They have also overlooked the fact that only one bus per day goes to Stanhope, and there is a 90 minute wait before it returns to Rookhope.

“We are an isolated community and if we lose our post office it will have a devastating effect on elderly residents and non-car owners in particular.

“Combined with other plans to close post offices in nearby Blanchland and Slaley, this is another kick in the teeth for country residents.”

A further series of public meetings are to be held in County Durham to help people challenge proposed closures.

Durham County Council is arranging the meetings to help communities take action and make plans for the future.

Coun Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “There is a real appetite to do something practical for the communities to help them through this difficult time.

“The issues for our communities facing possible closures are very real – isolation, social deprivation and financial, particularly as it will hit hardest those who can least afford it. We want to ensure people get the information they need to register their opposition.

“We hope the public meetings will also look at what can be done next, if these closures do take place, and what we, as a county council, might be able to do to offer alternative provision.”

The public meetings will be held at Shotton Hall, Peterlee, on July 22; St. Patrick’s Hall, Consett, on July 24 and at County Hall, Durham, on Saturday, July 26.