Government set to close Abbeville Post Office

1.34.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 8th May 2008

Clapham Common residents have been left outraged following the decision to confirm the closure of their local Post Office. Despite strong local opposition, Post Office Ltd has now ruled that Abbeville Road branch will be closed.

The final decision to shut down the popular Abbeville branch comes at the end of a short consultation process where local residents consistently opposed the plan. Residents drew attention to difficulties in reaching alternative post offices, uncertainty over alternative post offices' own futures and factual errors made in the initial evidence used to support the closure as good reasons to keep the branch open.

Clapham Common Lib Dem Councillors, Darren Sanders and Angie Meader, are now working on a rescue package for the Abbeville Post Office and will be urging Lambeth Council to look at implementing the so-called "Essex Model" where the Council buys-out post offices earmarked for closure and integrates Council services into their operation.

Local Lib Dem Chris Nicholson was a prominent campaigner in the effort to keep Abbeville Road Post Office, Speaking about the Abbeville branch closing, he said:

"This is a terrible decision and one that will really cost this vibrant local community. It also shows how ill served local residents have been by their Labour MP Keith Hill. Keith voted in favour of the Labour Government's Post Office closures - in contrast to Kate Hoey, Vauxhall's Labour MP who opposed the closures. I suspect it is not a coincidence that the Lambeth Walk Post office in her Vauxhall constituency has stayed open!"

"I'm still hopeful that something can be done to keep Abbeville Post Office open in the future and support local Lib Dem Councillors' efforts to find a solution, but it really should not have come to this in the first place."

Notes

(1) Post Office Ltd's report on the consultation process can be found here:

ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/ctf/po/London_decision_booklet.pdf

(2) The Post Office Ltd has been charged by the government with closing around 2500 post offices nationwide. 171 of these closures will be in London.

Related Link:

Post Office Closure Report