Miles Jermy THE community is continuing to rally round a closure threatened Great Yarmouth post office.Well over 1,000 customers have put their names to a petition and supported the Mercury's Save our Post Office campaign at the Northgate Street branch.

Miles Jermy

THE community is continuing to rally round a closure threatened Great Yarmouth post office.

Well over 1,000 customers have put their names to a petition and supported the Mercury's Save our Post Office campaign at the Northgate Street branch.

The counter space is one of the busiest in Yarmouth and part of a vibrant range of independent shops and small businesses along the street close to the town centre.

Sub post-mistress Jayne Nicolson, who only took over the business last year, was dismayed to learn that hers was one of eight branches in and beyond the borough on the hit list. Now unless the campaign to save the post office is successful it could close as soon as August.

It is a vital amenity to pensioner Vera Traynier, 75, who is among the 1,500 people using the branch every week. She said: “I received a leaflet advertising the post office with my telephone bill, which is ironic when you consider that so many branches are being closed down.

“There is a very good service at Northgate Street and often people don't realise how important places like that are until they are gone. If you are not mobile or terribly agile it is a way to walk to the post office in WH Smith and I have trouble with my legs and don't want to spend a long time standing in a queue.

“It feels a bit like we are kicking against a brick wall and the closure is just a fait accompli, it's a pity some politicians don't get out and use these facilities.”

Paul Crowell is another of the loyal customers voicing his support for the Post Office and small shop.

“I am at a complete loss and simply cannot understand the logic of wanting to close this branch,” he said. “My wife and I use it most days of the week to post our eBay parcels and there are always four to six customers in front of us sometimes more.

“We have used our next nearest offices in WH Smith a few times out of curiosity and it is quite awful in there.

“It is such a shame that this lovely friendly family run post office could be shut down.”

The issue is rising up the political agenda, with the closure programme set to be debated by the borough's county councillors at the next Great Yarmouth Area Committee.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb has added his support to the Mercury's campaign to save the area's threatened branches.

The post office at Hickling is one of nine in Mr Lamb's constituency earmarked for closure.

He said: “Hickling is a bit of a special case, it is outside the village and lots of people there use the post office in Stalham. But I strongly oppose the closure programme in principle and do not want to see the network eroded - my vision is different from that of the government which wants it to be dismantled.

“Royal Mail is not interested in running a loss making business and do not want to put in the investment to make the network profitable. It should be split from Royal Mail so it can develop along new lines as an independent business and develop commercial arrangements with other postal services.

“Why not use branches as an access point for email services, library access point to order books online or provide online access to social and education services.”

The Great Yarmouth Area Committee Meeting starts 9.30am on Monday at Great Yarmouth Town Hall.

The Royal Mail has announced a six week consultation period before the closures are confirmed in June.

Write to Laura Tarling, Network Development Manager c/o National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM, email consultation@postoffice.co.uk or call 08457 223344.