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Come clean, tell us why post office is being shut
• AT the Somers Town area forum on Thursday night representatives of the Post Office deserve credit for their courage in braving the extreme anger of the meeting to attempt to explain the inexplicable plan to close Crowndale Road post office.
But, despite their claims of “local knowledge”, it was clear that it came as a revelation to them that the Euston Road is an enormous physical and mental barrier, which means the catchment area for the office extends much further south than you might conclude by just drawing circles on a map,
And it is worrying that, despite claims that the planned closure was based on objective criteria, several attempts to ascertain just where this data could be found and analysed were ignored. Apparently, it isn’t publicly available.
The post office is a vital service for one of London’s most deprived communities – its loss would be one more blow to many people struggling with health problems, disability and social exclusion.
The decision, we are told, is based on “need”. But that astonishing claim is not being justified.
Natalie Bennett
Green Party, South Camden
• THE Labour government’s sweeping post office closures are tearing the heart out of our communities. But am I the only one to find the sight of our MP queuing up to be photographed with sub-postmasters set to lose their jobs extremely distasteful?
When Frank Dobson voted in favour of his government's plans to close 2,500 post offices across the country did he think Camden would be spared?
His belated protestations represent either naivety, nimbyism or just plain hypocrisy. Either way, the sub-postmasters and community activists that Mr Dobson claims to represent should know that just last year he used his position in Parliament to back these crippling cuts.
The time when we needed our MP to protest has been and gone, and Mr Dobson has let us down.
Ben Greening
Chalk Farm Road, NW1
• AS well as the usual services offered by a post office, the South End Road office also sells stationery as well as a broad selection of greeting and birthday cards.
Deborah Moggach writes that several traders have “expressed an interest” in taking over the business themselves, as the present postmaster/mistress is being offered a carrot of £70,000 (A crucial community service in this postmodern society, February 28).
If it is a matter of money above services, would it be possible to raise an appeal fund and simply buy it in order to launch whoever wants to take it over?
Alison Bolton
Pilgrim’s Lane, NW3
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