News story

13 November 2000

BACKING FOR FIGHT TO SAVE POST OFFICE

Northavon MP Steve Webb is backing efforts to ensure that residents of Oldbury-on-Severn continue to have ready access to Post Office services after their Post Office closes on 19th December. The MP has been contacted by Post Office Counters to ask for his help in finding if there is anyone who would be willing to keep some form of Post Office service going in the village after Les Scott, the current postmaster, ceases trading in four weeks’ time. Steve Webb has regularly spoken out at Westminster in defence of the network of rural post offices and was recently instrumental in helping the people of Marshfield in his constituency to maintain a Post Office when their village postmaster retired. The MP said he was exploring the options available to Oldbury with Post Office Counters and with local residents and would be asking the Post Office to give as much support as possible to any new venture. In other villages, Post Office services have been kept going by opening counters in other commercial premises, in village halls or in community shops supported by local residents. Steve Webb said he would be talking to local residents about the options which were available to see which, if any, might be viable.

Steve Webb said:

“It is regrettable when any village loses its Post Office, and we must act quickly to see if there is any way of keep Post Office services going in Oldbury. With a very limited bus service between Oldbury and Thornbury it would represent a considerable inconvenience for dozens of local residents if they were unable to collect their pensions or benefits in the village. I was pleased to be able to play a part in keeping a village Post Office open elsewhere in my constituency earlier this year and I will do all that I can to ensure that all options are explored for keeping services going in Oldbury“.

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