I couldn't agree more with the sentiments of Ruth Hampton (Feedback, March 12) with regard to the post office closures.

Along with Kingston, Croydon will have the highest number of compulsory closures if Post Office Ltd has its way.

Ms Hampton is right to indicate that this essential public service is being dreadfully abused.

Those parts of our community, particularly the elderly, disabled and those with young children that most need a local post office will be affected by these proposals.

Additionally, local shops that benefit from the trade a post office on the parade brings will also be affected.

My local post office on Bensham Lane is one of those that is earmarked for closure. If it disappears then I am concerned that we will end up with a parade of boarded up shops.

The postmaster Sunil Patel wants to remain open but unlike previous rounds of closure these are compulsory.

Together we have organised a petition and printed posters for his shop window.

This is what it has come to. We have to show Post Office's network development manager, the now infamous Anita Turner, that our local post office deserves to stay open instead of one in Ealing or Hackney or even, perish the thought, one of the others in Croydon. It is a sad state of affairs.

The problem is that the powers that be just do not recognise how vital our local post offices are.

They are more than just businesses which Post Office Ltd can axe at will in the quest for profits.

These are vital local services which help define our communities. We must fight these closures otherwise I fear that our post offices will become a distant memory.

SHASHA KHAN

Croydon Green Party