Royal Mail are to announce the closure of thousands of Post Offices this week, with rural locations likely to be hardest hit. The announcements will be made on Thursday.
The current network of around 14,000 POs made a lost of £111m in 2005, despite receiving £150m in government subsidies. Postcomm estimate that only 1500 of the 8000 rural offices make money. It’s expected that the closure of between 2500 and 7000 offices, phased over several years, will be announced.
Ironically for eBay sellers, Colin Baker, the general secretary of the National Federation of Subpostmasters, blamed his members’ plight on more people shopping on the internet.
A DTI spokesman said that the government recognises the social role of Post Offices in rural communities, but that the current size of the network was unsustainable.
Via the BBC, which has information for those fighting to keep their Post Office open.
