Fight to save post offices is on

9:35am Tuesday 22nd July 2008

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The fight to stop some posts office closures in the Falmouth area has begun.

It follows what has been described as an "amazing" turnout of people at a number of public meetings called within hours of the proposed closures being announced.

Between now and September when the consultation period ends, there will be an all out effort to get Post Office Ltd., to change its mind.

The meetings in Flushing and Budock Water where both village shops are destined to close with the shutting of the post offices, saw packed houses, as residents crowded in to get a chance to have their say.

There were two meetings in Flushing where the post office is one of 49 in Cornwall earmarked for closure.

Bev Hannan, Flushing's postmistress, attended the meeting. "For the village it's going to be devastating. It's all very well saying the next post office is only 1.7 miles away, but no elderly people are going to walk that distance and if they catch a bus they have to wait two hours to get one back," she said.

"We have just got to hope for the best. It's just a waiting game again for all of us to see if they change their mind."

There are now plans to put together a working group in Flushing with a view to protesting against the proposed closure.

Judith Whiteley, a Mylor parish councillor, said there was a suggestion that a protest march might be organised.

The following night there was a second meeting.

In Budock Water the village hall was so full that people were forced to queue outside to have their say.

The meeting was organised by MP for the area Julia Goldsworthy, who urged people to write individually to show their anger.

She said: "Petitions are important, but in this consultation they only count as one submission. That is why it's vitally important to write a letter - tell them how important your post office is to your area and how your life would be affected without it.

"If we show enough evidence that the post office is vital to the community, then there is a chance it could be saved."

With hours, notices "Save our Post Office" were up in windows and cars showing the strong feelings people in the village had about the closures.

Another public meeting is due to be held at the WI Hall in Webber Street, Falmouth, tonight at 7pm to discuss the proposed closures of the Killigrew Street and Bar Road branches.

Both town post offices serve a wide area and are also local shops.

Join in the fight to save post offices. Comment below and send your views also to the Post Office.