Ravenshead sorting office still at risk despite petition saving previous closure

The Ravenshead sorting office may yet be closed down despite a community petition staving off former closure plans. Postmen were originally told that they would be relocated Mansfield in March, but a 600-signature-strong petition kept them put.

The petition has now reached 2000 signatures, but the postmistress has said that they still do not know their future yet in spite of this. If the sorting office is closed, it could have a snowball impact on the post office.

Postmistress Charlotte Clark said: “It’ll affect us financially if we lost the sorting office, and as time goes on the post office could close. At the time of the prospective closure, there had been no prior communication from Royal Mail. Our postmen were told they were going to move on a certain date.

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“At the minute our postmen are still at Ravenshead but we don’t know if they will be moving still. We’re hoping that the postmen will stay here.”

Charlotte also mentioned how the support of village residents and particularly the elderly had been crucial to maintaining the sorting office so far.

“The thing is its the centre of their community, the elderly, they all come in here. They’ve been brilliant and they’re all behind us.”

A relocation to Mansfield would be part of plans on Royal Mail’s part to save costs. However, it woud result in greater travel for workers, and people who miss their parcels would have to travel further to claim them.

Royal Mail did not give anyone at the sorting office prior notice that they would be moving in their original plans.

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A spokesperson for the Nottingham branch of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) said: “The move has been parked but it has not gone away.

“Every little village SPDO (scale payment delivery office) is at risk. We don’t like that they are trying to close them. They’re even trying to get rid of the offices in the main villages.

“Royal Mail are trying to get rid of the personal touch, they seem to want to worsen the service. They are more concerned with profit rather than community.

“If the office at Ravenshead was taken away then that post office might not be able to be maintained as they aren’t generating money. all of a sudden they lose a post office and the community loses out.”

Royal Mail were unavailable for comment.

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