The future of rural post offices: Sidbury Post Office to close 'temporarily'

There has been concern about the health of rural postal services for some time - especially in light of the privatisation of the Royal Mail:
Futures Forum: Royal Mail privatisation: concerns for rural communities

There is the bigger debate of whether the centralisation of services is actually 'efficient':
Futures Forum: Diseconomies of Scale... and public services

And meanwhile, debates about spending in the NHS seem to be about 'rationalisation':
Futures Forum: The future of health services in East Devon... "challenged health economies"
Futures Forum: The future of health services in Sidmouth... "The MIU closure is not about cash, but about the provider not being able to deliver."

Now there are fears that the limited post office service in Sidbury
Post Office Sidbury, Sidbury, Sidbury Village Hall

... is about to close:

Sidbury Post Office set to close?

Monday, 01 December 2014 1 Comment by Claire

Sidbury’s Post Office is to close ‘temporarily’ from 31 December, it has been announced.
I received a letter from Post Office Ltd on Saturday, which confirmed that the branch will be closing “temporarily” on 31 December 2014.

If this move starts the process of a permanent closure, I am deeply concerned. It is the latest in a long line of losses to public services locally and local people without their own transport will be disadvantaged. The post office at Sidford is most definitely not safe to walk to from Sidbury and it is too far in any case.

I have contacted Post Office Ltd with a series of questions that I look forward to receiving prompt answers to.

The email address to write to with comments is comments@postoffice.co.uk or by phone on 0345 7223344.

Comments


1. At 01:38 pm on 02th Dec Sandra Semple wrote:

The same route that will be used by lorries to service the Sidford Fields industrial estate. The one that suddenly appeared in the draft Local Plan with no explanation and no consultation? And no thought for the implications if/when something like this happens? Yes, that one.

Sidbury Post Office set to close? - Claire Wright.
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