Richard Lynds
Network Development Manager
Post Office Ltd

Dear Richard

On January 22, you asked for local people to give their views on the proposed closure of 12 post offices across the Fylde coast.

Six weeks on, they have given their answer with 9,416 Gazette readers "Standing Up" for their local branches.

Post Office Ltd's announcement that 58 post offices across Lancashire and Southport could go shocked many of those who not only use them, but rely on the vital services they provide.

And nowhere has that disbelief been more evident than here on the Fylde coast.

Now this was no knee-jerk reaction. Fears over closures are nothing new, but this did not soften the blow for many post masters and their customers who were left thinking: "Why us?"

This has been born out over the last six weeks where we have tapped into just what a local post office means to local communities.

Users are not one core group, they range from young professionals to pensioners - a whole myriad of people who rely on the services you offer.

These branches are also a focal point for communities, something that cannot be measured in simple fiscal terms.

While we fully appreciate, Post Office Ltd, is facing up to a need to change and modernise, we would appeal to you to listen to the well reasoned and sensible arguments given to save many of the branches listed for closure.

There are many who believe you have underestimated the level of future growth in certain areas, perhaps, best demonstrated in the ever-expanding town of Lytham, where a scheme for 300 homes was recently announced for land not 500 yards from the threatened Warton Street post office, with the potential for many more to be added in the coming years.

There has also been the claim that you have failed to understand the geography and the pressures that will come to bear on those reliant on your services if their local branch were to disappear.

When we launched Stand Up For Post Offices, communities quickly mobilised themselves, organised protest marches, petitions, placards and posters, while all four of the councils which represent the area, Lancashire, Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre - together with the coast's four MPs, all came out in support of their local branches.

We have seen:

* A march attended by 2,000 people in support of Lytham's Warton Street post office, led by MP Michael Jack.
* An on-street demonstration attended by more residents in support of Poulton's Hodderway post office.
* Support from shadow post office minister Charles Hendry for Lytham's Warton Street post office and Layton's Torsway Avenue post office. Mr Hendry also signed the petition.
* And of course, 9,162 Gazette readers - your customers - signing up to our campaign.

Together with our own petition, we have encouraged people to respond to your public consultation by letter and we trust you have already received a large amount of correspondence from this area.

We hope you will consider this in great detail before finalising any closure orders which could have a massively detrimental impact on local communities.

Yours sincerely,

David Helliwell
Editor