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A village postmaster grieving the loss of his father in the Air India plane crash is facing a battle with Royal Mail to save his business.
Umang Patel has flown out to India to join the hundreds of people who attended the funeral of his father, Kirit, who died when the London-bound flight crashed during takeoff in Ahmedabad last week.
Kirit Patel was on the flight for his annual summer visit to the UK, where he hoped to support his son and his son’s wife, Vaishali, run a Post Office and shop in the Somerset village of Pensford, near Bristol.
But their immense personal loss is not the only battle the family is having to deal with, with a decision by Royal Mail to close a small delivery office in the branch threatening the future of their livelihood.
In April, Umang Patel called on the village for support when he told the local parish council that the post office made up 60 per cent of his income, and without it, the branch would not be viable.
Councillors responded by writing to oppose the closure, arguing it was a “lifeline” for vulnerable residents in the community, with the nearest branch three miles away.
A petition has also been launched, with more than 1,200 people signing it, many after the loss of Mr Patel’s father last week. The family was also the subject of a crowdfunding campaign that raised £11,000 after his death, but they asked for it to be taken down after costs had been met because they “did not want to take advantage”, according to villager Jim Beacham.
Royal Mail confirmed that a plan was in place to shut the small delivery office, with the date for closure understood to be in September.
A spokesperson said: “Our small delivery office within Pensford Post Office is being merged into the New Paulton Delivery Office. Relocating to a larger, dedicated facility will provide better working conditions for our posties and support a more efficient delivery service.
“Residents can be assured that deliveries will continue as normal.”
A Post Office spokesperson said a post office area manager had been working with Mr Patel to help limit the “financial implications” of the move. Ways to grow the business were also being explored, they added.
They said: “We have offered our sincere condolences to Pensford Postmaster, Umang Patel, for the tragic death of his father Kirit Patel in the Air India plane crash. Umang, his wife Vaishali and two sons are much-loved members of the village community. Umang and Vaishali have run a first-class Post Office and shop for more than 10 years and are very popular as demonstrated by the community rallying round to support them at this very difficult time.”
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