Customers urge Post Office not to close branch

Customers and the MP for Redditch have urged the Post Office not to close the "lifeline" central branch in the town.

Labour's Chris Bloore said 1,100 people had signed a petition calling on the taxpayer-owned business to explore all options to keep its services in the constituency.

One woman said she used the town's post office as Studley, where she lives, has already lost its branch.

While the Post Office denied a decision had been made over the fate of Redditch, it confirmed it was assessing the future of its 108 loss-making directly-managed branches.

The company said it had invited expressions of interest from retail partners and independent postmasters.

Bloore started the petition after the branch was identified in November as being at risk.

"This is an integral part of the high street. A lot of people, a lot of elderly and vulnerable people, rely on this Crown Post Office and so they're really worried about the future," he said.

In a meeting with Post Office bosses last week, the Labour MP said he had urged managers to think of "imaginative" ways to keep the branch going, including potentially moving it to a better location.

Customers at the branch said closure would have a direct impact on them.

Jane Ellison, 57, from Studley, said she used the branch as a "last resort", after having already lost her village Post Office.

"Generally I use it for stamps. I use it for parcel packaging, sending parcels," she said.

"I don't drive so I have to rely on the bus... there's nothing like it in our little village at all. Everything's gone."

Redditch resident Anne Mould, 75, said: "It would be a great shame if the Post Office closed because it's well used."

A customer for more than 50 years, she said the next nearest branch was in a hilly part of the town and more difficult to reach.

"I use the Post Office a lot," said Redditch resident Andrew Twigg, 62.

He said his visits had become more frequent since the closure of his bank's branch in the town.

"This is where you have to put your money in... hopefully it will stay open," he said.

"It'll be used more soon, because [Redditch Outdoor Market is] going to be coming back."

A Post Office spokesperson said the company had not proposed the branch's closure, but said it was reviewing its future.

"Last November, we launched a new, five-year Transformation Plan that will deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, putting them at the heart of the business," they said.

"As part of this process, we are considering the future of our Directly Managed Branches (DMBs), which are loss making. However, no decisions have been made on any DMBs.

"Since inviting expressions of interest for 108 Post Offices that we currently operate across the UK, we have received interest from retail partners and independent postmasters in the hundreds."

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