Three post offices axed after review
THREE Wear Valley Post Offices will close, with the rest set to discover their fate in the next few months. (May 16 edition)Following a six-week public consultation, Post Office Ltd have decided to close post offices in Toft Hill, Leeholme and South Church. A second period of consultation to discuss the future of offices elsewhere in Wear Valley will start in July.
The group received thousands of responses from angry residents explaining why the post offices should remain open, but will still close the three branches earmarked for closure in November.
The report completed by the Post Office Ltd said that in Toft Hill, the main concern was that customers would now have to travel to other branches but transport and parking facilities would hinder their service.
People also voiced concerns that elderly people may have difficulties travelling to other branches, with some customers saying they used the branch as a social and financial hub, praising subpostmistress Sheila Mulgrew for all her hard work in the community.
Sheila, who has been described as a “pillar of the community”, said: “I have already had people bringing me flowers and telling me how upset they are by it, but you can’t change the inevitable. “Of course I’m sad about it, and it is going to be the end of an era that will affect a lot of people.
“Many people relied on the post office to collect their pensions or pay bills, and they will now have to either get in their cars to sort it all out or set up a direct debit. “People in the village have shown me a lot of support, and I would like to thank everyone who has put up posters or given us their backing.” Sheila, who has been at Toft Hill for more than 20 years, will now take up a part-time position in West Auckland.
Some post office workers have decided to call time on their careers, including Leeholme owner Barry Palmer. Barry said: “We have known this will happen for a long time. “This is purely Treasury-driven and I am not surprised it is finally happening as Labour have had their knives out for the Post Office ever since they took power.
“People will now have to make do with a central office to be placed in Coundon, and I will just retire now.” Post Office officials said they received relatively little feedback from the public about Leeholme, although those who did respond complained that the nearest office in Coundon was temporarily closed.
Post Office Ltd said: “While the Coundon branch is closed, Bishop Auckland Post office is only two and half miles away and offers designated disabled car park spaces with car parks around the town. “There is a regular bus service to Bishop Auckland from Leeholme, and the branch offers a full range of services including car tax payment and access to full on-demand currency.” South Church will also close, with Post Office investigators saying concerns over the impact closure would have on vulnerable customers, especially with regards to travel, were unfounded as there is a branch less than a mile away.
Post Office Ltd said: “Cockton Hill is less than a mile away and has parking facilities available within 20 yards and is wheelchair accessible. A frequent bus service also runs between the two branches with concessionary fares available to those over 60 and disabled people.”
Henknowle district councillor John Lethbridge used to represent South Church and described the closure as “unacceptable”. Cllr Lethbridge said: “It is appalling that this has happened.
“I spoke to an elderly lady in south Church a few weeks ago and she told me that she can only just make it to the current post office, so for her to have to go further will be impossible.
“As a Labour councillor, I am here to represent working people, but this is just another example of people not being listened to. “It really irritates me and makes me rather angry, and its about time we were listened to.” Adrian Wales, Post Office Ltd’s network development manager North East, said: “These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.
“We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation. “We believe that the plan announced today offers our customers in this area the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the Government’s minimum access criteria and the other factors the Government has asked us to consider.”
