The main post office is set to close its doors permanently.

Protest against post office closure this Saturday

Opponents of Post Office Ltd moves to close down Hastings post office and relocate its services to WH Smith in the Priory Meadow shopping centre will be gathering outside the retailer to protest against the plan this Saturday. Nick Terdre reports.

The move is part of a massive £70 million scheme to save money by replacing dedicated post offices with counters located in local retailers – what the PO euphemistically calls ‘modernisation’. WH Smith has signed up to take over the operations of 16 crown – or main – post offices, including Hastings, but in the long term the PO plans to ‘modernise’ 300 crown post offices.

The main post office in Cambridge is due to close its doors in March next year. In the meantime a six-week consultation process is under way. The PO says that feedback from a pilot scheme affecting nine crown branches confirms that “customers welcome the new modern look, improved layouts and service areas.”

However, its PR campaign does not seem to be convincing many locals in Hastings. “So far NOBODY in Hastings has spoken up FOR their business plan,” says Ian Stewart, a member of the post office users action group which was set up following a public meeting in April.

“We’re inviting people to boycott Smith’s until they listen to us and pull out of their deal with the Post Office bosses. On Saturday, 9 November we’ll be putting our views forward very loudly at Smith’s between 9am and 3pm.”

The action is backed by Hastings and District Trades Council and the Communications Workers Union, which will be seeking signatures for a petition opposing WHS’ involvement in the closure and relocation of the local post office and pledging to boycott the retailer until it withdraws from the deal.

The six-week consultation period ends on 25 November. Submissions can be made online at postofficeviews.co.uk; by FREEPOST addressed to Your Comments to Post Office Ltd; via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk; or via the customer helpline on 08457 22 33 44 or textphone 08457 22 33 55. In all cases you need to quote the branch code 006925.

But note that in its code of practice concerning consultations, the PO only undertakes to “take account of the responses” but not to be guided by them. The ‘modernisation’ plan is the company’s response to government pressure to cut its losses.

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