WALTHAMSTOW: Cautious welcome for post office rethink

4:24pm Monday 12th May 2008

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LOCAL politicians and community campaigners have cautiously welcomed a rethink on the closure of three post offices in Walthamstow.

Post Office Ltd announced decisions on the future of branches earmarked for closure, including six in Waltham Forest.

And while the branches in Leyton High Road, Hall Lane, Chingford and Grove Green Road, Leytonstone, will all be axed from next month, a proposal to close three in Walthamstow has now been placed "under further review."

It is believed that concerns raised by the watchdog Post Watch about the ability of Walthamstow Central post office to cope with extra customers may have been behind the rethink.

Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard and the prospective parliamentary candidate for Labour Stella Creasy issued a joint statement saying they were "pleased to see the Post Office has listened to the concerns raised by local people".

They said: "We want to thank all those residents with whom we have campaigned on the issue and whose vital contribution to this debate we believe has led to the Post Office admitting it needs to rethink its plans for our area."

The council said it will be continuing to fight the closures and will be supplying further evidence to Post Watch that closing the three Walthamstow branches will have a negative effect on the borough.

Joanne Rogers, 58, of Falmer Road, has been campaigning to save the Forest Road branch, with her 88-year-old mother Gladys Gloyn.

She said: "I am glad that the axe did not fall straight away.

"But I am not getting exciied about this in any way, shape or form. This could be all be a tactic to make it look as though they are listening."

Post office Ltd was ordered by the Government to draw up a list of about 2,500 branches to be closed nationwide, due to rising losses and a drop in demand.

The decision to close the branches in Forest Road, Orford Road and Chingford Road has been delayed, but a Post Office Ltd spokeswoman was unable to tell the Guardian when a final decision would be made.