Eight post offices doomed

2:23pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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All eight of the post offices under threat in the borough of Barnet are doomed to close, despite a fierce campaign to save them.

The decision has been met with outrage and disappointment by MPs, councillors and postmasters across the borough.

Eight post offices earmarked for closure:

• Dollis Valley Way, Barnet
• Potters Road, Barnet
• Cricklewood Lane, Cricklewood
• Pennine Parade, Cricklewood
• Nether Street, Finchley
• East End Road, Finchley
• 435 High Road, Finchley
• Watford Way, Hendon

The branches will close by August at the latest, after calls from thousands of residents to prevent the cull went unheard.

Councillor Brian Coleman, cabinet member for community engagement, said: "Barnet has been absolutely stuffed and closing all the branches under threat will grossly inconvenience the elderly, vulnerable and damage our communities.

"The blame lies squarely at the door of the Labour minister who sealed the fate of these offices last year."

Only seven post offices originally on the list of 169 branches earmarked for closure in London will remain open.

The Government ordered the closures in a bid to cut the £4 million losses made by post offices each year.

Bakul Joshi, sub-postmaster at the Nether Street branch, believes the community will be severely affected by the closure of his branch.

"The public is very much against it and people will have to suffer the hassle and hardship to go to another branch," he said.

"I feel let down. Post Watch and the Government doesn't seem to have taken any notice.

"It has been my business for more than 20 years and now I will have to start again."

Robert Winton, of the Finchley Society, is worried about the effect of five closures in and around the Finchley area.

He said: "It is about quality of life and people, especially the elderly, have got used to having the service nearby but now they will have to go elsewhere."

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers said: "I am hugely disappointed and really angry that the Government has pushed ahead with this.

"Some of the shops will find it much tougher to continue without the post offices to help bring people out to our high streets."

Hendon MP Andrew Dismore felt the closures were inevitable, but was disappointed with the outcome.

He said: "We made the best case we could for the Hendon branch but it is a shame that the Post Office has made the decision it has."

Anita Turner, the Post Office's network development manager for London, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.

"We believe the amended plan offers our customers in London the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future."