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Save the Vauxhall Street Post Office

The consultation period has now closed. The Green Party formally objected to the proposed closure of the Vauxhall Street Post Office branche. The national Post Office is considering the consultation responses and is expected to announce its decision on 26th June.

Consultation

The Green Party objects to the closure of the Bowthorpe Road branch for a number of reasons:

• Many of the Post Office users are elderly (there are several sheltered housing units nearby) and would find it very difficult to travel any further to another Post Office.
• There are excellent disabled facilities and the postmaster is able to help customers complete forms.
• Local shops and businesses not only use the Post Office but also benefit from Post Office customers using their services while in the area.
• Easy car parking is available outside the Post Office and parade of shops, and the Post Office is within easy walking and cycling distance for thousands of local residents.
• The argument has been made that the branch is within a mile of Castle Mall but many of the people who use this branch live further away from the Castle Mall than that. For many users of the branch, the Castle Mall would be difficult or impossible to get to.
• A further 300 housing units are still to be opened on the old hospital site (Fellowes Plain) so there will be even more potential customers for the Post Office and shops.
• The postmaster has introduced a number of new services over the last year or so including international money transfers and over-the-counter Euros as well as a cash machine which is very well used.
• The loss of this branch would add unnecessary strain on to the city's other branches such as the one at Castle Mall which is failing to cope with its current levels of customer demand, especially at peak periods. Forcing existing customers to use the Castle Mall branch will also cause further harm to our neighbouring communities by adding to the city centre's congestion at a time when local authorities are working hard to eliminate unnecessary traffic.
• Instead of closing this branch you should be looking at giving it the ability to run extra services to help it generate more income.

Councillor Chris Hull's objection letter on the proposed closure of the Bowthorpe Road branch can be read here (in Word format).

Photo: Green Councillors and local residents demonstrating
against the proposed closure of the Vauxhall Street Post Office.
You can help save the Vauxhall Street branch by
taking part in the consultation on the proposed closure.