Town's fear over 'devastating' Post Office closure

Helen Morgan's petition has attracted more than 1,000 signatures

The closure of a town's Post Office would be a "devastating blow", its MP has said.

The Oswestry branch is one of 115 under threat and Helen Morgan, who represents North Shropshire, has set up an online petition opposing the move.

The Post Office is looking at options for its loss-making "Crown Post Offices", which are those not hosted inside other shops.

Traders in Oswestry have also expressed their concerns and said it could harm their businesses.

Katrina Birch from The Dress Bridal Boutique said: "I think its going to have an impact on local businesses because obviously we use it for sending out parcels."

She said the Post Office was also invaluable for buying items such as parcel tape.

Simon Calloway from the Get Connected mobile phone shop said: "I think it's invaluable the Post Office, not only for a business like ourselves, but also for the town."

He said he was concerned about a loss in passing trade from people who went into the town to use the Post Office.

Simon Calloway said businesses in Oswestry would suffer if the Post Office closed

Morgan's petition calls on locals to express their "strong opposition to proposals to close Oswestry Post Office" and received more than 1,000 signatures in the first 24 hours.

The Liberal Democrat said the branch on Willow Street was the only place in the Oswestry area which offered the full range of services to small businesses.

She rose the issue in the House of Commons and Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Services, Small Business and Exports told her that while no final decision had been taken, the Post Office was pushing ahead with consultation.

The government-owned Post Office has 11,500 branches across the UK, most of which are franchises, with 115 Crown Post Offices.

Services provided at the threatened Crown Post Offices may be moved into other stores, such as WH Smith, if they are closed.

The Post Office said it had been forced to consider the closures because it faced a host of challenges, such as stiff competition from rival parcel operators like Evri and fewer people sending letters, with revenues for its branches being hit as a result.