Now main post offices are under threat

12.00.00am GMT Tue 2nd Nov 2004

South Dorset could even lose its main post offices under plans being considered by the Royal Mail. The news comes on top of the closure on sub-post office branches across the country.

As many as 270 stores could be shut down or offered to local consortiums as part of reforms being discussed with unions and consumer groups. The plight of the Crown post offices, those run directly by Royal Mail, will be investigated later this month by the Trade and Industry Select Committee and a decision is expected on the future of all 560 branches before the end of the financial year.

Parliamentary Spokesman Graham Oakes says:

"The Royal Mail must come clean on what it will be looking at when making its decision. We need to know on what grounds to make the arguments for keeping Crown Post Offices open.

"The Government own the Post Office. Do they want the Post Office network to one of the building blocks of communities? Or will they happy to watch the post office network to wither away?"