Closure crazy

By JO THORNHILL
Updated:

 

THE 'crazy' shutting of post offices has brought chaos for customers in one town, two months after the Government ordered Post Office chiefs to clean up their act over the handling of branch closures.

Four of the five sub-post office branches in the Derbyshire market town of Belper were axed.

According to town councillor Alan Cox, the remaining branch has been overwhelmed, with customers queueing into the street at the busiest times.

'It's a mess,' says Cox, 'Though we petitioned against the closures, the Post Office still went ahead with its crazy decision. But now the remaining post office is unable to cope and everyone in Belper is suffering.

'The whole matter has been badly managed from start to finish. The last branch was supposed to be getting more staff and opening up more spaces at the counter, but that hasn't been done and the result is long queues at busy times.'

In February, the Government strongly criticised the Post Office over its handling of the closure programme and the Post Office was forced to increase the notice period for shut-downs. The closures are part of an urban 'reinvention' programme that will affect 3,000 post offices by the end of the year.

Belper's Conservative MP, Patrick McCloughlin, has raised the issue in Parliament many times. But he says that changes to the consultation process were too late.

'The consultation period is a sham,' says McCloughlin. 'The regulator Post-Watch even stepped in over one proposed closure in Belper, but it didn't stop it.

'Most people accept that some closures are necessary, but it is up to the Post Office to ensure the system left behind can cope, and this hasn't happened in Belper. The town's post office capability has been reduced by 80%. This urban reinvention programme is more like a programme of mass destruction.'

Post Office spokesman Nick Martens says: 'The closures in Belper occurred after carefully assessing what service was needed. The closures were all voluntary in that the sub-postmaster chose to close.

'The remaining Strutt Street branch is going through a process of refurbishment and two new staff positions are being created.'

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