Lib Dems Rally Support For Albion Street Post Office

5.57.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 30th Jun 2008

Albion St. Post Office

Liberal Democrat councillors in Kenilworth have taken rapid action to rally support for the Albion Street 'One Stop' post office, which is one of the 51 branches targeted for closure by the Post office across Birmingham, Coventry & Warwickshire. A survey of customers' reactions to the closure announcement has been carried out in the Albion Street branch and in neighbouring shops, and a house-to-house survey of the local area has been completed. A petition has been launched today.

County councillor John Whitehouse (Liberal Democrat, Kenilworth Abbey), whose electoral division includes the threatened post office, said:

"The Albion Street area had a high proportion of elderly residents, many without cars, and they are worried sick by the prospect of losing their local post office. The nearest alternative branch in the town centre may be less than a mile away, as the Post Office states, but this sort of journey will present major problems for those who can only walk short distances, often with difficulty.

There is a very strong sense of local community in the Albion Street area, and even those less directly affected are deeply concerned about the effect on the elderly."

Cllr. Whitehouse has written to the CEO of One Stop Stores, setting out residents' views and asking for the company's attitude to the proposed closure. He has also registered these concerns with county council officers who are liaising with the Post Office on its closure programme. He said:

"I am asking for a solution that will maintain post office services to this vulnerable community. I hope that the branch can remain open, but if not then other options must be found. We should be looking after our old people, not denying them local access to essential services."