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A village post office is under threat of closure following a letter of notice from Royal Mail.
The details, sent to sub-post master Fraser Lindsay, give a six month notice to withdraw mailworkers from the premises in Dersingham.
Four post personnel, three of whom live in Dersingham and one in neighbouring Ingoldisthorpe, would be relocated to the sorting office in Lynn by August and the post office service in Heacham relocated to Hunstanton.
This would mean a 40 per cent cut in income which in turn affects the annual salary of Mr Lindsay and his wife Maria.
Not only does it affect the residents who use the post office, but also potentially means the couple may have to sell their family home attached to the post office.
Mr Lindsay, 55, whose parents ran the business from 1979 and made a family transfer to their son in 2001, said: “I lose half my salary, and though we have compensation for losing the postmen, after working nearly 40 years behind the counter, it is a kick in the teeth.”
“Royal Mail are not going to change their mind.
“We have still got the running of the property and without the whole package we don’t know yet whether it is a viable business.
“We are also thinking of the people in this village as we have been pushed into this.”
He is urging post office users to write to James Wild MP, stating the impact it would have on pensioners and the environmental impact in moving to Lynn.
“We are encouraging people to write to James Wild to get Royal Mail to change their mind.
“How is it environmentally sound for an 85 year old to get to Lynn, who may or may not be able to pick up their packet.
“If it closes because of Royal Mail’s decision we want people to get in touch with our MP.
“Elderly people rely on us.
“It is going to be devastating.
“We do so much beyond just a postal service.”
Mrs Lindsay set up a book club during the pandemic, with donations supporting the Lynn Food Bank.
Since 2020 the total raised from post office users is more than £11,000.
She said: “It really is difficult to work out exactly what to do. The postmen are going and once we get to Christmas we will re-evaluate.
“What are we supposed to fill the shop with?
“We are opposite the Co-op and we make a loss on newspapers.
“Is the counter service enough to enable us to carry on?
“If we stopped the business we would have to sell and downsize.”
Mr Lindsay said: “I would be quite happy to work the counter for another 15 years If we were left alone.”
“It is the family business that mum and dad set up and I am at the helm.
“I am upset we are under threat of closure.“
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