KRAMER DEPLORES POST OFFICE DECISION TO CLOSE RICHMOND

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Aug 2003

Post Office Ltd., in a letter to Susan Kramer MP, has confirmed that it has decided to go ahead with the closure of Richmond Crown Post Office in George St and to transfer services to the rear, first floor of W.H. Smith. This is despite a petition with over 1,250 signatures, protest at a public meeting and many local letters in opposition.

Kramer said: "I am bitterly disappointed. Local people made such a strong case, demonstrating that the steep stairs and small lift to the first floor of W.H. Smith will cause real chaos.

"Any mum with a push-chair, any older person, and many people with packages will need the lift but it is difficult and narrow, designed for taking up small amounts of stock not lots of people. The Post Office does not even address this in its letter, only talking about a back up counter service if the lift breaks.

"The lines at the existing Post Office are already long because so many local Post Offices have closed. We need more counters not two less.

"We still have no answer as to whether or not there will be an outside Post Box to receive letters 24 hours from local businesses which rely on this service.

"We still do not know if any of the experienced and helpful staff will transfer, which seems unlikely because they would shift to lower pay.

"Frankly, Richmond is a town in which the Post Office ought to be proud to have a flagship building, not to be closing one."

ENDS