Plans to axe 21 post offices condemned

Plans to close down 21 post office branches across Northern Ireland will “rip the heart out of urban and rural communities,” it was claimed today.

Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew condemned proposals to shut eight branches in Belfast and 13 others in Lisburn, Enniskillen, Derry, Newtownards, Newtownabbey, Larne, Coleraine and Bangor later this year.

In south Belfast, it is envisaged five post offices in Balmoral, Cromac Street, Ormeau Road, Stranmillis Road and Willowfield will shut.

Knock post office and Knocknagoney would close in the east of the city and the Greencastle branch would also disappear in North Belfast.

It is also proposed that two branches would shut in Larne on the Waterloo Road and Harbour area with closures also earmarked in east Antrim in Milebush and Woodburn.

In Newtownabbey, Woodford post office has also been identified for closure.

Scrabo post office would disappear in Strangford under the plans along with the branch in Ballybeen.

Oakwood Avenue Post Office in Bangor has also been identified for closure while Lisburn could lose its Grand Street branch.

In Londonderry, Lisnagelvin and Collon could lose their branches. Laurelhill post office could shut under the plans in Coleraine.

In Enniskillen, Ann Street post office would also close down.

Members of the public are being invited to comment on the plans to the UK Post Office’s national consultation team which is based in Watford.

Post Office Northern Ireland head of area, Raymond Crea said great care had been taken while drawing up the plans to ensure most customers affected by the closures would still have access to postal services within a mile of their homes.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that all our customers in Northern Ireland will continue to have reasonable access to local post office products and services,” he said.

“Even after any changes are made, well over 95% of customers will still live within a mile of a post office branch.

“Having met with each of the sub-postmasters of the Post Office branches in question – and other local sub-postmasters – we have concluded that if they were to close, it would improve the long-term prospects of the other branches in the area.

“In particular we have made sure that alternative branches in the area are fully geared up to cope with extra customers should the closures go ahead.”

Sinn Féin’s economy spokeswoman Michelle Gildernew said the announcement was “a body blow” to communities who depended on local post office services.

“There are also concerns that there will be a knock-on impact on local shopping areas where the loss of one significant business will then lead to less business for other local businesses – creating a negative ripple effect,” she said.

“Despite assurances that this is only a consultation there is a well founded fear that the Post Office will not listen to the concerns of local communities or their political representatives.

“Given the disastrous way that the switch over to electronic payment of benefits is being handled we need to ask whether this move it premature.

“This will hit hardest the vulnerable in our society – the elderly in particular who rely on the Post Office. People who cannot afford to pay to travel to the nearest post office will be disadvantaged and in areas where there are sectarian tensions people will view this announcement with dismay.”