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Press Release

FSB calls for part time post offices to ease impact of closures

4 September 2007

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) today called for part time post offices to ease the impact on small businesses of the planned closure of 2,500 post offices in the next eighteen months.

The UK’s biggest business organisation accepted that Post Office Ltd’s current losses of over £100 million per year are unsustainable and are likely to get worse.

However, FSB research revealed that nearly half of small businesses use the post office more than once a week, so widespread closures could have a devastating impact. The FSB believes that part time post offices, opening two or three days per week, could be a good way to cushion the blow of the planned closure programme.

Clive Davenport, FSB Trade and Industry Chairman, said:

“We have to be realistic about the future of post offices, but what is important now is to ensure the closures are handled carefully to minimise the impact on small businesses.

“Our members tell us that a good way to alleviate the potentially devastating impact of the closures would be to have part time post offices that are open on certain days during the week.

“This would serve the purpose of saving money as well as maintaining essential services for small businesses and rural communities.

“Much greater thought now needs to be given to how we can safeguard the remaining network, allowing it to grow and prosper by meeting a range of consumer and business needs.”



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Federation of Small Businesses

Federation of Small Businesses

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