Local outrage at closure of Post Office

5.40.41pm GMT Wed 7th Apr 2004

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr David McBride, who represents Cray Valley East ward, has expressed outrage at the sudden closure of a post office in his ward, saying that local residents were given no notice of the closure.

The post office, in Marion Crescent, has experienced recent problems and was earmarked for closure in the recent review of postal services locally. However, when local residents came to use the post office this week they unexpectedly found it shut.

Cllr David McBride condemned the sudden closure, saying that the local elderly and people with young families would suffer the most. "Local residents were amazed at how the post office was closed. They were given no notice apart from a note in the window of a local shop after the closure. When I spoke to people collecting their pension at the Carlton Parade post office they'd had to walk a fair way to get there. There was also a worry that the other local post offices had not been told and may not have had enough money to cope with the new business."

Cllr McBride has written to the relevant authority to complain at how the situation was handled, and to ensure other local post offices can continue the service to residents affected.