Campaigners have slammed the rush to shut the 11 offices – and warned it could scupper last-ditch rescue plans.

Post Office Ltd officials have revealed the first office to close will be St Annes Road in South Shore on April 29, with Torsway Avenue in Layton, hailed as a vital service for Blackpool's Victoria Hospital, to close the following day.

When Fylde post offices will close - full list

Both received thousands of messages of support in The Gazette's Stand up for Post Offices campaign.

The closures end on May 12 with offices in Fleetwood, Cleveleys and Poulton all due to shut on that date.

The news came as a shock to residents and politicians with Blackpool Council leader, Coun Peter Callow, who is trying to put together a business plan to save three Blackpool branches, saying it was "too soon".

Campaigner Pauline Macken who campaigned to keep open Hodderway post office in Poulton, said the move was very quick and slammed the countywide consultation.

"It is very soon," she said.

"I'm surprised and bitterly disappointed.

"They've put a poster up in the post office telling us it would be closing and where the nearest other office was.

"It says we're within 100 yards of the nearest bus service which is not true and it says the trip to the nearest post office is on level terrain which is also untrue."

Coun Callow, meanwhile claims the Post Office is using delaying tactics to stall his rescue plan, questioning weather the company was genuine in its negotiations to save branches. We are still waiting to see the books of the Blackpool post offices, which we asked for weeks ago," he said.

"The clock is ticking and we now have just over two weeks left before some of the branches close.

"They need to stop playing games because I'm beginning to doubt their intentions.

"It seems like this is a charade and I want to see those books and find out whether keeping the businesses open is viable.

"We have set the wheels in motion but they have ground to a halt."
Post Offices bosses said today that the information would be with the council "as soon as possible".

A spokesman added: "We are very willing to work with local authorities and other groups who want to fund, and provide premises and staff for, additional services in their community."

Rural branches in Out Rawcliffe and Churchtown, the closure of which will damage small communities according to Wyre MP Ben Wallace, will now close on May 7.

Another small branch in Catforth and Bispham's Red Bank Road post office, hugely supported in an area with a high percentage of pensioners, will then go on May 9.

A branch in Elswick has already closed while a closure date for Singleton is yet to be confirmed.

Postmasters are unwilling to speak out, saying they are concerned for their financial compensation packages.

However, The Gazette understands that many are angry about the handling of the closure programme and some believe their viable businesses should remain open.

Some plan to turn their branches in to self-contained shops but others are understood to be planning retirement.

The Gazette's Stand up for Post Offices campaign saw vast support for branches across the Fylde coast with more than 9,000 people signed a petition asking bosses to rethink the decision to close the offices.
One branch, Lytham's Warton Street post office, was saved to the joy of postmaster Mark Bamforth and his customers.