The closure of a community post office has been brought forward two days as Royal Mail officials desperately search for a new sub postmaster. Meanwhile campaigners are preparing to host a public meeting in a bid to save the service.
Bosses at Royal Mail have announced Castlefields Post Office at Stars News will close on April 9 due to the lack of a sub postmaster – despite earlier this week announcing the facility had been given a two-week extension until April 11. An urgent search is underway to find a replacement.
The news comes after county councillor Alan Mosley called a public meeting on April 1 at Castlefields Community Centre to discuss the next step forward. The meeting, which will start at 7pm, will coincide with the government’s announcemnet of national post office closures and residents have been urged to turn out.
A motion is also expected to be put forward to Shropshire County Council on April 4 to investigate ways to save the service.
No option
A Royal Mail statement said: “Regrettably, following the current sub postmaster tendering their resignation, we have no other option but to temporarily close this branch on April 9. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”
MP Daniel Kawczynski, who this week met with residents, said: “The whole of Castlefields needs this service.
“People who are disabled or are senior citizens are being forced to traipse into the town centre and it’s not acceptable.”
Borough councillor Andrew Wagner said: “When they close the post office, Castlefields is going to be left with nothing.”