Post Office plan 9 closures in West Wiltshire towns

4.51.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 16th Sep 2004

The Post Office has launched a consultation period for its planned closure of 9 'urban' post offices in West Wiltshire. The closures come as part of its 3,000 closure, national 'Re-invention' programme.

You can find more information about the consultation at the Postwatch website http://www.postwatch.co.uk.

The West Wiltshire Post Offices facing the axe are:

BATH ROAD,Melksham, SN12 8AD

WOODROW, Melksham, SN12 7AY

BRADLEY ROAD, Trowbridge, BA14 0QX

Brook Road, Trowbridge, BA14 9DL

FROME ROAD, Trowbridge, BA14 0DT

BOREHAM, Warminster, BA12 9HB

GOODWIN CLOSE, Imber Road, Warminster, BA12 0DF

Warminster Common, Broadway Roundabout, Warminster, BA12 8EB

WESTBURY LEIGH, Westbury, BA13 3SQ

The list includes the two post offices Tesco planned to evict from the former 'One-Stop' stores it recently acquired in Brook Road, Trowbridge and Warmisnter Common.

"This news will come as a blow to communities across the district" says Lib Dem spokesman, Cllr Duncan Hames.

"It seems that contrary to letters the council has received from the Post Office in recent weeks, they seem determined to finish the job that Tesco started and then some."

Only this week, in Parliament, the Prime Minister rejected the suggestion that his government should stop post office closures under this programme. He said:

"It is not that we have a policy of closing post offices. The hon. Gentleman will know that, under the previous Government, somewhere in the region of 3,000 post offices closed. Post offices have continued to close under this Government, because their business and financial viability is being altered as a result of more people getting their benefit not through the post office but through their bank account.

Related Link:

[Postwatch - The Watchdog for Postal Services]