Our Surveys Show 'Major Problems' for Customers If Albion Street Post Office Closes
July 7, 2008 6:34 PM
Our "We love our Post Office" banner, being displayed in windows throughout the Albion Street area
Liberal Democrats have released the results of two surveys carried out in the Albion Street, Kenilworth area since the proposal to close the local post office was announced on the 24th June.
A survey of Albion Street 'One Stop' shop customers showed that everyone used the current post office facilities - 15% most days, 39% once or twice a week, and 46% occasionally. 40% of customers said that the proposed post office closure would cause them major problems, 57% said it would inconvenience them, while only 4% said it would not affect them at all.
In a separate survey carried out house-to-house in Albion Street and the immediate surrounding area, 91% of respondents said that they used the Albion Street post office, 28% said closure would cause them major problems, 64% said it would inconvenience them, and 8% said it would not affect them.
County councillor John Whitehouse (Kenilworth Abbey), who carried out the survey with Liberal Democrat district and town colleagues Cllrs. Ann Blacklock and Pat Ryan, said:
"I would like to thank everyone who filled in one of our surveys, which have helped us to build up a very clear picture of how this threatened post office closure will hit the local community.
"Some of the comments made are very moving, and show the lives of some very elderly and vulnerable people will be badly affected if they can no longer rely on their local post office. Even where people are less directly affected personally, their comments show great concern for the effects on others.
"I have written to the Post Office consultation team objecting to the planned removal of post office services from the Albion Street area, and I hope that hundred of others will do the same before the consultation deadline of the 4th August."
Here are a selection of the comments received from local Albion Street residents:-
Woman <65: "Ridiculous to force people to use cars when we should be trying to lead a more eco-friendly way of life."
Woman<65: "My concerns are for the elderly and disabled who live around here."
Woman 65-80: "I am disabled and it takes me a long time to get to the post office. I have to sit on the wall to break my journey."
Man 65-80: "As a pensioner with arthritis this post office is very helpful."
Woman 89: "I rely on this post office a lot, no way can I go to town every day."
Woman over 80: "Town is a long way when you can't walk far, even if you go on the bus."
Man over 80: " I use the post office every day, but I can't leave my disabled wife for long as I do everything in the house."
Man <65: "A post office should be a community service as well as a business."
Woman over 80: "I am only one of many OAP's that need a post office close by. Many of us cannot get down the town easily."
NOTES:
1. There were 111 responses to the customer survey, carried out outside the Albion Street post office and in adjacent shops. Customers came from both the local area and also many other parts of the town (and beyond).
2. The house-to-house survey was carried out in Albion Street and the immediate area around it. A total of 64 responses have been received and analysed to date.
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats