A CRISIS meeting is being held in Buckland Monachorum next week over the future of the village's only shop and post office.

Buckland Monachorum Post Office is due to close on November 11 — but unless a buyer can be found to take on the business, the shop and post office service could be lost to the village.

Richard Salter and his partner Kathryn took on the business on May 1 — but he said financially, they just could not afford to keep it going.

'I'm very upset about it. People probably don't think I give a damn, but I do. It's not something we've done lightly — it was our dream and it's like everything has gone up in smoke, but at the end of the day, I have to support my family and if I can't, something has to give,' he said.

Mr Salter said he knew the decision would upset people in the village, but said they had no choice financially.

'People take a village shop for granted and it doesn't matter how upset they are, it's use it or lose it.

'I have some very loyal customers and I feel very sorry for them but it's got to the stage I'm not earning any money at all and I can't even stock the shelves properly.'

He said the previous shop owner had been able to make a living from the shop because no mortgage was involved. For him and his partner, with a mortgage, trade was just not good enough to make ends meet.

Elaine Simpkins, parish clerk, said: 'The future of the village post office and shop is in the balance and the parish council is holding a parish meeting to at least come up with some suggestions for the future.

'The council would be extremely sad to see it close, so we are looking into the options at this meeting.'

Mrs Simpkins said she hoped as many residents as possible would attend the meeting on Tuesday October 14, which would be attended by a representative from the Post Office.

Colin Pound, rural network advisor for Royal Mail, said the company would 'definitely' like to see a post office service continue in Buckland.

Mr Pound said: 'At the moment we have neither an applicant, or premises, but hopefully we will get some interest at the parish meeting and then we can progress it. I'm working with the community to find a suitable premises and a suitable applicant.'

Mr Pound said there was no reason why the post office could not even be run from a private house, provided there was a willing applicant and security was suitable.

'We would be hoping it could be a full-time office in its own right, but there would be no problem running it five or six mornings a week,' said Mr Pound, who urged residents to come along to the meeting, which is being held at St Andrew's School at 7.30pm.

'It gives me an idea of how much the village want their post office.' Steven Fryer, chairman of the village hall committee, said people in Buckland were shocked at the news of the closure.

Mr Fryer said: 'I am extremely disappointed at what has happened with a local community facility.

'We have a high proportion of elderly residents who will be seriously affected by this closure.'

Buckland Monachorum Post Office this week went on the market with local agent Mansbridge and Balment. It is being sold as a going concern, with an asking price of £225,000 freehold.