John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

‘Save Our Post Offices’ March

Time:         12.20pm for 12.30pm

Date:         Friday, 14th March

Venue:      Kewstoke Post Office, Royal Oak Stores, Crookes Lane, Kewstoke, BS22 9XF

Event: ‘Save Our Post Offices’ March organised by Weston-super-Mare’s MP John Penrose

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose has organised a March next Friday as part of the campaign to save Weston's Post Offices from the chop.

Six local Post Offices are facing closure: Church Road, Kewstoke, Loxton, Ebdon Road, Severn Road and Uphill have all been notified that they have been proposed for closure in the Area Plan Proposal for Bristol and Somerset.

The March will leave Kewstoke Post Office at 12.30 on Friday March 14th and follow the route to the nearest alternative Post Office recommended by Royal Mail, in Milton Road. This is over the other side of (very steep) Worlebury Hill so the march will illustrate the problems which local residents, especially pensioners, will face if Kewstoke and post offices like it are closed.

Joining John on the March will be local sub-Postmasters, councillors, residents and members of Weston Senior Citizen’s Forum.

Speaking about the March the Weston-super-Mare MP said: “Post Offices are often the heart of our local community and in villages like Kewstoke they are the only shop.

“While Post Office Ltd. have promised in their Area Plan Proposal that they have considered all the factors, this is clearly not the case. For instance, the shortest route for people from Kewstoke to the nearest alternative Post Office in Milton Road is over Worlebury Hill. This is a mean feat for anyone to climb, and for people who are elderly and vulnerable it's probably impossible.

“Public transport doesn’t make things much easier either. People in Kewstoke would have to catch two separate busses to get to Milton Road Post Office, the journey time potentially taking up to two hours each way.

“As a result Weston-super-Mare residents will suffer. Pensioners are probably going to be hardest hit. It will be difficult to collect their pensions as not everyone has a bank account or a computer to arrange payments online. For many it will mean isolation from their local communities and problems with day to day essentials like shopping and independent living.

“Post Office Ltd. need to abandon their plans to close our Post Offices. They have not showed strong enough cases as to why our branches should be closed. I would urge anyone who thinks the same and is free on Friday to join the March to make Weston’s voice heard loud and clear to Post Office Ltd. and the Government.”