Bexhill post office closures

The Post Office Ltd announced on Tuesday the London Road Post Office will be shut as part of a national cost cutting exercise.

The branch at Collington Mansions, also ear-marked for closure, has been granted a 'stay of execution' and will be subject to a review by the consumer body, Post Watch.

A decision should be made in the 'near future'.

Across Sussex, 41 other branches are to shut, with the first closures due to begin in March.

Bexhill MP Gregory Barker said: "We have always known that these closures were almost inevitable but I am proud of our local efforts to make a case for each of these sub post offices. The response to petitions and sheer number of letters we received has been breathtaking and will have played no small part in giving Collington Mansions a reprieve, albeit briefly.

"I am keen to ensure that Collington Mansions has the best possible chance of staying open and that the sub postmaster is treated properly by Post Office during this extended time of uncertainty

"London Road sub post office has been at the heart of the local community for decades and elderly residents in particular will be hit by the loss of its essential local services."

Ismet Khoyratee, who runs the London Road branch, said: "It is a bleak day for Bexhill.

"There is nothing much I can do. I have tried everything but they obviously made their minds up a long before anyway.

"My future is looking very bleak at the moment. We are going to try and run the shop but I can't see it lasting. we will give it six months and if it doesn't work out I will have to find something else.

"All of my customers feel very bitter about it. They have written and complained and are very angry about having to go to the main post office and waiting half an hour to be served. Some of the elderly people won't be able to get to the main post office."

Derek Williams, sub-postmaster at Collington Mansions, said: "We hope this means it is going in the right direction but we will have to see what the outcome of the meeting is.

"We have to lived with the uncertainty now for a few months. It is not very nice but we will have to abide by the decision, whatever it is.

"The review is obviously to do with the petition and the support of our customers and the letters they sent to the Post Office. We are pleased with the way they contacted the Post Office with their grievances.

"They are pleased to have us here, but we will just have to see how it goes."