RESIDENTS' QUIZ POST OFFICE MANAGERS ON CLOSURE

10.00.00am GMT Mon 1st Sep 2008

Over 350 residents crowd into Tywardreath church to challenge post office bosses on the threatened closure of the local post office

Senior managers from the Post Office Limited faced local residents in Charlestown and Tywardreath on Thursday [28 August] in two meetings arranged by local Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate Stephen Gilbert.

In Charlestown around 100 people turned out to St Paul's Church to quiz the post office bosses on the decision to close the branch in the village while over 300 people crowded into St Andrew's Church in Tywardreath to demand that their branch stayed open.

Stephen Gilbert said: "Closure of these two branches would really damage the communities in Charlestown and Tywardreath and I am pleased that post office bosses were able to hear direct from residents what they thought of the plans.

"The proposed closures make no sense at all. Across Cornwall they will rip the heart out of our villages, make life difficult for older and vulnerable people, cause extra car journeys and add to costs for local businesses. Government should think again.

"A Post Office is more than a bunch of statistics, it is social hub for our communities that can provide early warning when vulnerable people are sick or need help and with a little imagination and investment the Post Office network could be restored.

"Closing the 2,500 threatened branches across the country will cost the Government some £1.7billion and yet it will only save around £50million a year - less than £1 per person in the UK. It's utter madness.

"Over the last few weeks we have worked very hard to help local residents make their case to the Post Office managers. We now have to wait to see the Post Office has listened."