Anger at Post Office closures

11.42.55am GMT Tue 29th Jan 2008

Local campaigners have expressed anger at the closure of six post offices in Lewes constituency. The closures, announced today, will see branches close in North Chailey, Upper Dicker, Newhaven, Wannock and two in Seaford.

Norman Baker MP says: "This shows the Labour government's disregard for local communities. Post offices provide an essential service to local people, yet they are intent on closing them. The government have spent billions on Northern Rock but are not prepared to spend a fraction of this on local post offices."

The closures are part of the government's plan to close 2,500 post offices. This follows 4,000 closures already made by this government and the 3,500 closures under the previous Conservative administration.

Jon Freeman, leader of Seaford Town Council, which fought against the closures of Claremont Road and Fairways post offices says: "This just shows the Post Office's hands were tied by the government. They had to meet the closure targets, now local people will suffer. We demonstrated that over half of the users of Claremont Road were elderly and had mobility problems, but they weren't listening."

Newhaven campaigner Pat Ost says: "The decision was already made when the Labour government decided to close a further 2,500 post offices. This is going to be very difficult, not just for residents of Mount Pleasant and South Heighton, which has already lost a post office, but the whole of Newhaven as traffic and queues at the main post office increase."

Polegate town councillor Andy Watkins says of the Wannock closure: "This is ridiculous, local residents have been ignored and I worry for the future of communities such as this when vital services such as post offices close."