UPDATE: Post offices facing axe reaction

9:03pm Friday 1st February 2008

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Twenty-two post offices have been earmarked for closure across Oxfordshire, it emerged last night.

Royal Mail had been expected to announce on Tuesday which branches it was putting up for consultation on possible closure, but MPs released the list to the Oxford Mail last night.

Three are in Oxford and two in Banbury, with the rest smaller town offices or in villages.

It is feared that closure of postal counters could force the small shops which house them out of business.

The Government wants to close 2,500 branches across the UK to cut costs.

Christine Donnelly, the secretary of the Oxford and Bicester branch of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, said closures could devastate some communities.

She said: "It's another blow for rural life. I know modern life is about internet banking and telephone banking but a lot of people still come to their post office to pick up their pension and do a whole host of other things.

Mrs Donnelly, who runs Great Milton Post Office, said: "It's not just posting a parcel, it's the whole interaction, meeting people and chatting with people in the queue. I think there's going to be a lot of devastated communities."

While campaigners said last night they would fight during the six-week consultation to save the listed branches, Mrs Donnelly feared 22 in the county would close - it was just a matter of which.

She added: "I think people will fight very hard to keep their local post office.

"The Post Office has to close a certain number. I have heard if one of them is saved, another will have to go."

Wantage Conservative MP Ed Vaizey said: "We're now entering a six-week period of consultation. I hope the Post Office will listen and approach the issue with an open mind.

"It's basing its decision on cold statistics but anyone who uses their local post office knows that it provides a much greater service than simply selling stamps.

"It's very serious about the closures. It isn't bluffing.

"It's putting up 22 post offices, because it expects 22 post offices to close. If we can save half of these, I think we'll be doing very well."

Oxford East Labour MP Andrew Smith added: "The two in my constituency fulfil an important need and I will be mounting a rigorous campaign for them."

Royal Mail declined to comment last night.

Ministers say the closures are needed because the post office counters business is losing £4m a week.

The last major closure programme in Oxfordshire saw 11 branches shut, leaving more than 180 open at present.