‘We’ll fight to stop post office closures’

THE possible closure of post offices in Upper Street and Mount Pleasant has been described as a “stab in the back”.

The Post Office announced has that 115 branches are at risk nationally but is yet to confirm which will be shut.

Of Upper Street, Lib Dem campaigner Kate Pothalingam said: “This post office is essential for so many people here. Neighbours constantly tell me how much they rely on it.”

While some post offices are run as a franchise by sub-postmasters, the branches facing closure are part of the publicly-owned Post Office business.

The plan is proposed as a cost-cutting measure for the business and will also contribute to higher pay packages for sub-postmasters following the ongoing scandal that saw hundreds of workers wrongly prosecuted.

The proposed closure of the Mount Pleasant branch comes after more than seven years of neighbouring building works to redevelop the Royal Mail sorting office into more than 600 new homes.

Former Lib Dem council leader Terry Stacy said: “To then lose the post office itself would be a stab in the back. We were promised this post office. It was installed at great cost after the closure and demolition of the sorting office.

He added: “Hundreds of new homes are going there. It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth for all the businesses, let alone all the residents who are going to be moving in.”

The Crown Post Office at 161 Upper Street, which serves 3,000 people per week, could also close.

Islington South MP Emily Thornberry told the Tribune: “These post offices cannot be allowed to close. They are valuable community assets and a lifeline for vulnerable people in the borough. If it is necessary, we stand ready to fight to keep these post offices open with the full range of services that they offer intact.”

A spokesperson for Islington’s Labour group added: “We are deeply concerned by the proposed closures at Mount Pleasant and Upper Street post offices, which will have a significant impact on residents and businesses in these areas.

“Access to reliable and accessible postal services is vital for our communities, and these closures will disproportionately affect vulnerable residents.”

A spokesperson for Post Office said: “Post Office has launched a new, five-year Transformation Plan that will deliver a New Deal for Postmasters, putting them at the heart of the business.

“To realise the plan, Post Office is considering a range of initiatives to boost revenue, drive efficiency and reduce costs. As part of this process, we are considering the future of our directly managed branches (DMBs), which are loss making.

“We have invited expressions of interest to operate post offices in all remaining DMB locations, including for Islington and Mount Pleasant, to gauge market interest and explore whether franchising could be a viable option.”