United in fight to save post offices
Jul 10 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal
COMMUNITIES in both rural and urban areas of the North East have joined the fight to save their threatened post offices.
Inner city services and branches in rural outposts are among those appearing on the list of services set for closure later this year, with branches having just a few weeks to put their cases to Post Office Limited to try to save the service.
Among those battling to save their branch is a protest group set up in the Northumberland village of Humshaugh, in the North Tyne Valley.
Villager Steve Robins said: “We have decided to form a committee to fight the closure proposal and it has been agreed that a questionnaire would be sent out to every home in the Humshaugh area to gauge the effect the controversial proposal would have on the village.
“This will enable the committee to put forward a detailed case based on accurate and up to date information.
“People will also be encouraged to do their bit by writing individually to the Post Office Limited consultation team before the deadline, which is just over four weeks away, on August 11.”
The Humshaugh village shop, run on the same premises as the post office, is one of scores that would be under threat from the decline in trade the loss of the post office would bring.
Mr Robins added: “Many villagers are astonished and concerned that the nearest post office to remain open after the reorganisation would be in the much smaller village of Simonburn nearly four miles away and with no direct bus service. In turn Simonburn is a shorter distance from Wark post office, which will stay open. We are also surprised that Acomb would be keeping its post office when it was so close to Hexham.
“Many people will be forced to make a 12-mile round trip into Hexham to get to a post office as the replacement van service on offer in the village hall car park would be so restricted.”
Earlier this week Northumberland County Council said it would work with parish and district councils during the consultation process.
Other branches battling closure include Clayton Road post office in Jesmond and those in Walkerville and Gosforth.
Barry Flux, communications officer for Newcastle Conservatives, lives in Sandyford. Opposing the closure of the Jesmond branch, he said: “This closure programme will have a severe impact on many communities, making life harder for people who rely on their local post office.”
Click here to have your say on this issue in our forums
MP TO MEET GARDEN VILLAGE CAMPAIGNERS
NEWCASTLE North MP Doug Henderson will meet campaigners fighting to save their post office today.
He will visit the Garden Village branch in Hollywood Avenue, Gosforth, for an update on the support that residents are giving to Gary and Lynn Maughan, who run the post office and shop. Yesterday the coordinator of the Save Garden Village Post Office Campaign, Fiona Beare, 36, of Hollywood Crescent, said: "I would like to publicly thank Doug Henderson and his secretary, Linda Temperely, for their unwavering support and commitment to our campaign.
"Doug has worked incredibly hard behind the scenes, meeting constituents, the Minister Pat McFadden at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform."
To date, more than 1,000 people have signed a petition to keep the post office open. A copy of it will be presented to Mr Henderson, to pass to The Post Office Network Change Team.
