The Post Office has announced it wants to close six Croydon branches as part of its national closure programme.
Offices in Thornton Heath's Bensham Lane, Coulsdon's Chipstead Valley Road and Mitcham Road, Norwood's Central Hill and South Norwood's Selhurst are threatened with closure.
Croydon town centre's post office in the High Street was also included in a list of 174 London branches, which are likely to close.
Anita Turner, Post Office Ltd's network development manager for London said: "Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know it will cause concern to many of our customers."
Branches at the Pond, London Road and High Street, Thornton Heath, Lion Green Road, Coulsdon, South End, central Croydon, Westow Hill, Upper Norwood and an office further down Mitcham Road are set to take up the slack left behind from the proposed closures.
Nearly 2,500 branches nationwide are being axed with only 500 being replaced by another service.
The Government has announced it will be investing £1.7billion to accommodate the closures, enhance current services and
compensate the staff of closing branches.
The counci's cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Tim Pollard, said: "We are extremely disappointed that the Post Office is going ahead with the closures.
"Some of these are in highly deprived communities where people rely on being able to walk to their local branch.
"We will do everything that we can to oppose their closure and we are calling on residents to lobby the Post Office, their local MPs and the Government minister, Pat McFadden."
Councillor Gerry Ryan blasted the decision to shorten the public consultation period to six weeks.
He said: "Post Office branches are a vital service for people in my constituency.
"The Post Office should give the full 12 weeks for this consultation to enable everyone to have their say."
What do you think of the post office closures? Post your comments below.
5:43pm Tuesday 19th February 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: judy adams, croydon on 6:45pm Tue 19 Feb 08
I live in Croydon. and have just read that they are considering closing the main post office in the town centre HOW STUPID CAN THE POWERS THAT BE GET. The queue for service at this post office is often outside the door because of the number of people using it! in fact this is my nearest post office and because of the amount of time it takes to get served I would need to have at least 12 hour spare if not longer to queue to access my benefits which are paid into a post office benefit account and I work there for my mother who is 70 disabled and walks with sticks because of a partial paralysis (what a star she is) has to collect them for me because of the time it takes even on a Saturday. with just shutting the other mentioned post offices this means that there will be people needing a post office from those areas so they would have to travel else where to do so, if they shut the over used Croydon town centre office where are all the people from the others as well as those that use Croydon town centre meant to go then
This is a RIDDICULAS decision by a bunt of WELL OFF BRUICATS who have works and businesses who takes care of their post office needs so never have to experience the use of a post office first hand
judy
I live in Croydon. and have just read that they are considering closing the main post office in the town centre HOW STUPID CAN THE POWERS THAT BE GET. The queue for service at this post office is often outside the door because of the number of people using it! in fact this is my nearest post office and because of the amount of time it takes to get served I would need to have at least 12 hour spare if not longer to queue to access my benefits which are paid into a post office benefit account and I work there for my mother who is 70 disabled and walks with sticks because of a partial paralysis (what a star she is) has to collect them for me because of the time it takes even on a Saturday. with just shutting the other mentioned post offices this means that there will be people needing a post office from those areas so they would have to travel else where to do so, if they shut the over used Croydon town centre office where are all the people from the others as well as those that use Croydon town centre meant to go then
This is a RIDDICULAS decision by a bunt of WELL OFF BRUICATS who have works and businesses who takes care of their post office needs so never have to experience the use of a post office first hand
judy
Posted by: judy adams, croydon on 6:50pm Tue 19 Feb 08
sorry couple of mistakes
it should read one half hour
and
a bunch of WELL OF BRUICATS
sorry couple of mistakes
it should read one half hour
and
a bunch of WELL OF BRUICATS
Posted by: ANNE GILES, SELSDON on 6:54pm Tue 19 Feb 08
Sorry - couple more mistakes - RIDICULOUS decision by a BUNCH of WELL OFF BUREAUCRATS.
However, you don't need to queue up in a post office to collect benefits. Do what everyone else does. Open up a bank account and your benefits will be paid directly into your account. Then - with your cash card, you simply go to a cash till and cash the money. Bills are normally paid by cheque.For posting letters - one can buy stamps now in newsagents - and, of course, e-mail is better than snail mail.
Sorry - couple more mistakes - RIDICULOUS decision by a BUNCH of WELL OFF BUREAUCRATS.
However, you don't need to queue up in a post office to collect benefits. Do what everyone else does. Open up a bank account and your benefits will be paid directly into your account. Then - with your cash card, you simply go to a cash till and cash the money. Bills are normally paid by cheque.For posting letters - one can buy stamps now in newsagents - and, of course, e-mail is better than snail mail.
Posted by: Blinky, Croydon on 4:12pm Wed 20 Feb 08
[bold]bold[/bold] [bold]Anne,
If you want everyone to take you seriously, it’s probably best if you do a spell check before posting any comments. Just some advise.
But I totally agree with you on this one as I live in Croydon too and often use the main office to carry out my posting needs, by closing these offices, a lot of inconveniences will arise especially for the elderly and disabled. I think it’s totally unfair!
bold Anne,
If you want everyone to take you seriously, it’s probably best if you do a spell check before posting any comments. Just some advise.
But I totally agree with you on this one as I live in Croydon too and often use the main office to carry out my posting needs, by closing these offices, a lot of inconveniences will arise especially for the elderly and disabled. I think it’s totally unfair!
Posted by: ANNE GILES, SELSDON on 9:33pm Wed 20 Feb 08
There are no spelling mistakes in my post.
There are no spelling mistakes in my post.
Posted by: Uncleboko, Selsdon on 10:37pm Wed 20 Feb 08
Benefit claimers don't have a bank account because then all the money earned from their "cash" jobs would be traceable by HM Revenue & Customs!
Benefit claimers don't have a bank account because then all the money earned from their "cash" jobs would be traceable by HM Revenue & Customs!
Posted by: Bob Peel, Croydon on 8:34am Thu 21 Feb 08
More caring moves from the poorly run
Peoples' Post Office
More caring moves from the poorly run
Peoples' Post Office
Posted by: ANNE GILES, SELSDON on 11:19am Thu 21 Feb 08
It's a bit like the many bank branches that were closed before. If I need a NatWest bank, I have to drive to Croydon or West Wickham, whereas before I went to Forestdale. Post Offices are the same. There are people who are unable to travel the long distances required to find a post office, and then they are faced with a mammoth queue when they get there. What about the elderly or disabled??
It's a bit like the many bank branches that were closed before. If I need a NatWest bank, I have to drive to Croydon or West Wickham, whereas before I went to Forestdale. Post Offices are the same. There are people who are unable to travel the long distances required to find a post office, and then they are faced with a mammoth queue when they get there. What about the elderly or disabled??
Posted by: barbara carter-brown on 3:51pm Fri 22 Feb 08
ifeel that the closure of the post office in mitcham road has not taken into consideraton the amout of old and disabled people that use it .Closing this post office means that some of these people will have to travel some way to the next nearest post office will be ok when the weather is good but in the winter this is going to be impossible so i think this should be reconsidered[bold]bold[/bold] [bold]bold[/bold]
ifeel that the closure of the post office in mitcham road has not taken into consideraton the amout of old and disabled people that use it .Closing this post office means that some of these people will have to travel some way to the next nearest post office will be ok when the weather is good but in the winter this is going to be impossible so i think this should be reconsidered
Posted by: luke, croydon on 12:05pm Tue 26 Feb 08
It says "Croydon town centre's post office in the High Street was also included in a list of 174 London branches, which are likely to close."
It then says branches are set to take up the slack left behind from the proposed closures.
Included amongst these is central Croydon!!!!
Am I missing something? Is there another post office in central Croydon. Judy Adams is right this post office is always busy. This is no sub-post office. It is utterly stupid.
Anne Giles you might as well suggest we close down the post offices altogether based on your logic. The truth is that at the same time as they are expanding the services they provide they are closing post offices and in this case a major one in the town centre.
It says "Croydon town centre's post office in the High Street was also included in a list of 174 London branches, which are likely to close."
It then says branches are set to take up the slack left behind from the proposed closures.
Included amongst these is central Croydon!!!!
Am I missing something? Is there another post office in central Croydon. Judy Adams is right this post office is always busy. This is no sub-post office. It is utterly stupid.
Anne Giles you might as well suggest we close down the post offices altogether based on your logic. The truth is that at the same time as they are expanding the services they provide they are closing post offices and in this case a major one in the town centre.
Posted by: ANNE GILES, SELSDON on 9:33pm Tue 26 Feb 08
No - they are closing a post office in the High Street, but not the one in the town centre.
No - they are closing a post office in the High Street, but not the one in the town centre.
Posted by: tom, croydon on 1:54pm Thu 13 Mar 08
Luke is confused.
Posted by: tom, croydon on 4:36pm Thu 13 Mar 08
Anne's info came a bit late in the day for Luke. The sub PO in the High St is next to Reg's camera shop, just up from the Coombe Rd traffic lights Luke. The Guardian's piece was confusing due to sloppy reporting.
'Spell Check' Blinky should have been suspicious before he mis-guidedly berated Anne with his lower case start.
Unclebeko introduced the black economy to Anne (dodgy geezer!), and Gordon Brown sanctions Essex Council's enterprising proposition to save its own scheduled PO's whilst at the same time turning a blind eye to the continuing presence of three PO's in the Palace of Westminster!
Confused? You might well be, but in the mean time, Croydon Council need to emulate the Essex Solution - but quickly!
Anne's info came a bit late in the day for Luke. The sub PO in the High St is next to Reg's camera shop, just up from the Coombe Rd traffic lights Luke. The Guardian's piece was confusing due to sloppy reporting.
'Spell Check' Blinky should have been suspicious before he mis-guidedly berated Anne with his lower case start.
Unclebeko introduced the black economy to Anne (dodgy geezer!), and Gordon Brown sanctions Essex Council's enterprising proposition to save its own scheduled PO's whilst at the same time turning a blind eye to the continuing presence of three PO's in the Palace of Westminster!
Confused? You might well be, but in the mean time, Croydon Council need to emulate the Essex Solution - but quickly!
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
