WHILST I have sympathy for the customers inconvenienced by the recent closures of Barclays and Lloyds Bank branches, I am surprised by the amount of furore both in the government and the media.
The government proposal to pay pensions and allowances directly into bank accounts could possibly lead to the closure of over 3,000 sub-post offices, particularly those in rural areas and will affect millions of people. When you consider that many rural post offices have the only shop in the village attached it follows that these will close also.
Sub-postmasters are already facing a decline in income resulting from the Government's decision to change from weekly to monthly child benefit payments affecting the viability of some post offices.
Whilst it is sad to see the demise of 170 bank branches countrywide, the loss of thousands of post offices will have a devastating effect on rural communities and I would ask for the support of our customers, the media, and local authorities in ensuring that a post office network continues to remain viable.
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Eric Burch
Sub-postmaster
St Anns Chapel
Post Office