News story
1st November 2004
MP warns of New Threat to Yate Post Office
News that the Royal Mail is considering closing half of
its "Crown" post offices puts a new question mark over the future of
Yate's main post office, according to local MP Steve Webb. The Royal
Mail are reported to be losing millions of pounds a year on its main
post offices and is considering a programme of closing some offices and
selling off others. Steve Webb said he would be challenging the
Government over these plans, and blamed the abolition of pension books
for reducing custom at post offices and reducing their profitability.
Steve Webb said:
"The crown post office in Yate is always very busy, and it is hard to
believe that the Royal Mail cannot make money out of such a busy office.
It would cause massive inconvenience to local residents and local
businesses if there were to be any question of closing Yate post office.
The Government is the only shareholder in the Post Office and must act
quickly to lift this threat".
The MP is already running a campaign to defend local post offices, and
more details can be found at
www.saveourpostoffices.com. Local residents can register their
support for Yate post office by e-mailing
stevewebb@saveourpostoffices.com or by writing to the MP at Poole
Court, Yate.
He added: "When rural offices are closed it is often on the basis that
there are alternative post offices available in nearby towns. It would
be totally unacceptable if the larger post offices were also closed".
In a separate development, Steve Webb has had a meeting with bosses at
Tesco regarding the future of the sub post office at Brimsham Park. The
convenience store at Brimsham Park is due to be replaced in the New Year
with a Tesco Express store, and Tesco want to remove the post office
counter. The MP is pressing Tesco to ensure that post office services
are maintained, either in-store or by seeking out a neighbouring shop to
take the post office. Tesco said that they had not so far found an
alternative site, but agreed to write to all the other retailers in the
local centre to see if a home could be found for the post office.
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