Newsagent’s exit threatens post office
11:17am Friday 9th May 2008
Comments (12)ANOTHER post office in Basingstoke is set to close, prompting an angry response from local residents and councillors.
The McColl's convenience store, in Brighton Hill, is not renewing its lease at the Brighton Hill Centre and has told Post Office bosses it will be closing in three months.
The shop has had numerous problems with vandalism, shoplifting and, in March this year, a female employee was tied up and gagged during a robbery at the shop.
Bosses at McColl's were not available to comment on the reasons for closing the branch.
But Jane Thomas, spokeswoman for Post Office Ltd, confirmed that McColl's had given three months' notice and that the sub-post office based at the store would have to close temporarily.
"We are actively looking for somebody new to take over the running of the sub-post office and we have had several interested parties make contact with us already," she said.
Councillor Brian Gurden, who represents Brighton Hill on Bas-ingstoke and Deane Borough Council, is annoyed that residents in south Basingstoke will lose vital post office services.
He said: "Following so closely behind post office closures nearby in Kings Furlong and Old Basing, public access to vital services will be even more savagely curtailed."
This latest blow comes after five branches were closed in north Hampshire earlier this year.
Branches in Ashford Hill, Giles Court, Tadley, Wootton St Lawrence, Jay Bees Convenience Store, in Kings Furlong, and the Old Basing post office, in Cavalier Road, all sold their last books of stamps in February.
Cllr Gurden and fellow councillors staged a demonstration outside the McColl's store in the Brighton Hill Centre on Saturday to inform people of the news.
Jean Hanson, of Tweedsmuir Close, Buckskin, Basingstoke, said it was "totally wrong" for the people of Basingstoke to lose yet another post office.
She said she frequently uses the sub-post office at McColl's and knows many elderly people who would be lost without it.
The 65-year-old said: "For pensioners like me it is getting more difficult to go about your everyday business in your local area. I think it's ridiculous."
Anyone interested in taking on the service must be able to provide premises and can contact Post Office Ltd on 0845 6016260 for more details.
Your Say YourBasingstoke Gazette
Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
3:45pm Fri 9 May 08
Perhaps if these were more like Post Offices and less like Benefit Offices I would feel different.
On a closing note; nice to see our hard working local councillor, Sheila Rowland, in the picture. . . .
Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
3:46pm Fri 9 May 08
Perhaps if these were more like Post Offices and less like Benefit Offices I would feel different.
On a closing note; nice to see our hard working local councillor, Sheila Rowland, in the picture. . . .
BonzoDog, local says...
8:18am Sat 10 May 08
Many of the jobs that used to be undertaken by post offices have been harvested out to other departments and contractors who invariably fail to manage the jobs as well and charge a lot more for doing it!
Many pensioners do not want bank accounts to have their pensions paid into, but are being forced into it. They want cash in their hands to buy their shopping today, and not when they have to travel into town to visit their banks....
Where do we post our parcels now? You may not want to today, but the future is not looking good for postal services either. It'll soon be cheaper and easier to deliver parcels yourself.
Many users will now use other post offices which will make the queues even longer. Who says they're not popular?
Picket Dewfury, Basingstoke says...
10:12am Sat 10 May 08
Recently I took a parcel into them and they decided that because it would not fit through their hatch, they couldn't deal with it. What use is that to anyone? Another day I took half a sack of letters in to find that they were closed for no reason. The queuing, efficiency and courteousness of the staff also make it a miserable place to go.
The needs and wants of pensioners is a sensitive issue, but they do have free bus passes and plenty of time on their hands if the are too obstinate to get a bank account.
BonzoDog, local says...
3:00pm Sat 10 May 08
Picket Dewfury, Basingstoke says...
10:13am Sun 11 May 08
Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
1:38pm Mon 12 May 08
No sign of her at the Post Office and no mention of the closure in her district diary section (just the usual old waffle about Manor Field School).
Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
1:54pm Mon 12 May 08
No sign of her? No mention in her district diary section? Did YOU vote for her???
BonzoDog, local says...
12:00pm Wed 14 May 08
If you think you'll get decent service and standards any better than we get now then you're dreaming I'm afraid.
Services of all sorts are either disappearing or being reduced by the day. You probably won't notice these things until you need them some day?
If they do go into private hands I can guarantee the costs will be too prohibitive for a state pensioner to be able to afford, but I feel you're gonna tell me you have a wonderful company pension all planned and ready for the big day.
Lucky old you!
Not all of us had the chance, or the spare cash to do such a future-thinking 'survival package.' But hey, that's another story for another day!
Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
2:30pm Thu 15 May 08
Going back to Cllr Rowland, nothing in her section this week either about Brighton Hill the Post Office closure. It is known locally as the 'Manor Field section' so no surprises there.
As this whole thread is about Brighton Hill, would one of the many local liberals like to inform us of when the footpaths will be finished properly? It's now over 9 months and there are still lumps of concrete and lamp posts blocking them.
Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
7:54pm Mon 19 May 08
Councillor Brian Gurden leads a protest to save the post office in Brighton Hill, Basingstoke
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Billy Nomates, Basingstoke says...
3:45pm Fri 9 May 08
Perhaps if these were more like Post Offices and less like Benefit Offices I would feel different.
On a closing note; nice to see our hard working local councillor, Sheila Rowland, in the picture. . . .