Post Office wants to axe 35 county branches
Last updated 08:54, Thursday, 20 March 2008
POST Office chiefs have revealed a list of 35 Cumbrian branches they want to close as part of a controversial cost-cutting plan.
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- Website link Postwatch
- Website link Network Change programme
- Website link Closure Q&A
They are included in proposals to shut 2,500 branches nationally.
Opponents have already raised concerns about the impact that the closures are likely to have on the communities affected and possible threat to the other businesses - such as newsagents’ and general stores - which the outlets support.
And the announcement is likely to trigger a surge in that protest.
A consultation into the closure plans begins today and will continue until May 27. No final decision on where will be shut will be made until this has ended.
But despite the wide number of closures, Post Office executives say that 98.5 per cent of Cumbria’s households remain within one mile of an existing branch.
Richard Lynds, Post Office Ltd’s north west network development manager said closure decisions had been reached following local research.He added: “Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know it will cause concern to many of our customers.
“We want to ensure that everyone who uses, relies on, or has any concern with Post Office services is both fully aware of the proposed changes and able to give views on them.
“Post Office Ltd’s aim is to continue to provide essential services and support retail businesses and the local economy in as many communities as possible, subject to the minimum access set by the Government.
“We believe these proposals offer the best prospect for a sustainable way forward for Post Office services in this area, bearing in mind the minimum access criteria and the other factors we have to take into account.”
Post Office Ltd has reached these proposals after taking advice from Postwatch - the independent consumer watchdog for postal services - and from all the area’s local authorities.
Officials say it has also considered factors relating to geography, the availability of local transport and alternative access to key Post Office services, local demographics and the impact on local economies. Views on all these factors are welcomed during the consultation process.
The detailed Area Plan proposal is available from:
web: www.postoffice.co.uk/networkchange
email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk
post: Post Office Ltd, Freepost Consultation Team.
The following branches are proposed for closure:
West Cumbria:
- Beckermet, Newlands, Beckermet, CA21 2XB
- Bigrigg, Springfield Road, Bigrigg, Egremont, CA22 2TN
- Gosforth (temporarily closed), The Lakeland Habit, Gosforth, Seascale, CA20 1EJ
- Holborn Hill, 49 Holborn Hill, Millom, LA18 5BJ
- Lowca, Lowca, Whitehaven, CA28 6QH
- Moor Row, 1 Church Street, Moor Row, Carlisle, CA24 3JG
- Parton, Village Hall, Main Street, Parton, Whitehaven, CA28 6NY
- Tangier Street, 12 Tangier Street, Whitehaven, CA28 7UX
- Brigham, High Brigham, Cockermouth, CA13 0TG
- Broughton Moor (temporarily closed), The Miners Arms, Broughton Moor, Maryport, CA15 7RY
- Camerton, Silver Dawn, Camerton, Workington, CA14 1LS
- Crosby, 21 Garborough Close, Crosby, Maryport, CA15 6RY
- Grasslot, 2 Grasslot, Maryport, CA15 8BU
- Hayton, nr Aspatria, CA7 2PD
- High Harrington, 1 Scaw Road, CA14 4LU
- Vulcans Lane, Workington, CA14 2NX
East Cumbria:
- Botcherby, 1 Wood Street, Botcherby, Carlisle, CA1 2SF
- Denton Holme, 125 Denton Street, Carlisle, CA2 5EN
- Great Orton, Great Orton, Carlisle, CA5 6NA
- Upperby, SPAR Convenience Store, 36 Lamb Street, Carlisle, CA2 4NF
- Bolton, Bolton, Appleby-In-Westmorland, CA16 6AL
- Knock, Knock, Appleby-In-Westmorland, CA16 6DL
- Melmerby (Temporarily Closed), Melmerby and Fellside Village Shop, Melmerby, Penrith, CA10 1HN
- Penton, Bessietown, Catlowdy, Penton, Carlisle, CA6 5QP
- Scotland Road, Townhead Garage, Scotland Road, Penrith, CA11 7NN
Other:
- Anty Cross, 19 Ruskin Avenue, Dalton-In-Furness, LA15 8LU
- Bardsea, The Yews, Bardsea, Ulverston, LA12 9QT
- Douglas Street, 16 Douglas Street, Walney Island, Barrow-In-Furness, LA14 3QQ
- Rawlinson Street, 149 Rawlinson Street, Barrow-In-Furness, LA14 1BB
- Swarthmoor, 56-58 Fox Street, Swarthmoor, Ulverston, LA12 0HT
- Beetham, Yew Tree House, Church Road, Beetham, Milnthorpe, LA7 7AL
- Cark In Cartmel, 112 Station Roads, Cark In Cartmel, Grange-Over-Sands, LA11 7NY
- Grange Fell, 20 Fell Cottages, Grange-Over-Sands, LA11 6AH
- Heathwaite, 17 Park Road, Windermere, LA23 2BE
- Longpool, 14 Wildman Street, Kendal, LA9 6EN
The following branches are proposed for replacement by an outreach outlet:
- Bewcastle, Lyne Bank, Bewcastle, Carlisle, CA6 6PW
- Brough, Main Street, Brough, Kirkby Stephen, CA17 4BL
- Hallbankgate, Penrith Co-operative Society, Hallbankgate, Brampton, CA8 2NJ
- Castle Carrock, Castle Carrock, Brampton, CA8 9LT
- Hayton Carlisle, Hayton Stores, Hayton, Carlisle, CA8 9HR
- Irthington, Irthington, Carlisle, CA6 4NN
- Dent, Main Street, Dent, Sedbergh, LA10 5QL
- Endmoor, Endmoor, Kendal, LA8 0EU
- Greenodd, Main Street, Greenodd, Ulverston, LA12 7RB
- Leven Valley, Glendale, Backbarrow, Ulverston, LA12 8RB
I have been to many sub post offices on my rural journey's decades ago photographing telephone meters (before computers)at very remote telephone exchanges.
I had travelled one day miles and miles on a tarrif change of three days and we had to get the billings done. I had driven miles and mile without a break and soon I would be at Catlowdy SPO...It was of course half day closed and the SPO at Roadhead had already been closed. NO! not a bite of food until Carlisle and you cannot keep closing Cumbrian post office and our country inns - its just making bland rural homes and villages of our countyEdit as appropriate..
Roy G
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Have your say
Politicians like Jamie Reed and Tony Cunningham should hang their heads in shame.It seems that standing up for local issues comes second best to towing the party line.How can Mr Reed sign a petition opposing closure yet a vote that could have made a difference was wasted? I take my hat off to MPs like Tim Farron of south lakes who even resigned from the front bench of his party so that he could vote recently against his party line on europe.Labour are no longer listening to the country on many issues,but you expect local MPs to at least listen to local opinion !!
Posted by Richard on 23 March 2008 kl. 23:04