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Residents' fury at shock Post Office closure
CHESHAM residents have been left furious after the shock closure of the town centre's Post Office as councillors fight to find a solution.
Customers hoping to use the branch in High Street on Friday were told it had been closed and a handwritten note in its window stated they should use the Great Hivings branch in Greenway Parade instead.
Another message blamed 'unforeseen circumstances' for the closure and said it would remain shut until further notice.
Post Office user Diane Kemp, a retired housewife of Barnes Avenue, said: "My daughter doesn't drive and I either have to take her to Greenway or to Amersham, it's very very inconvenient. They have also shut almost all of the sub Post Offices down. I don't know what this town is coming to. Something needs to be done about it quickly."
Alison, a poster on our website, said: "We cannot afford to lose this vital service in our town. The town must chase the post office and prove that we need this service and to make it a priority to replace the post office."
On Monday Chesham Town Councillors spoke about trying to find a solution and suggested housing a temporary Post Office in a portable cabin in one of the town's car parks.
Cllr Alan Bacon urged councillors to keep up the pressure on Post Office Ltd. He said: "I think it's important coming up to Christmas. Lots of people will be wanting to send parcels abroad and its their busiest time of year."
Cllr Mohammad Bhatti said: "With the Winter coming up it is going to be very cold. I don't know how elderly people will get to their money and a lot use the Post Office for topping up their electricity card. I don't know how the people will survive."
Post Office staff visited Chesham on Tuesday to look for available premises.
The town's mayor Justine Fulford told the Examiner: "If you look at the minimum access criteria 95 per cent of the urban population should be within one mile of a Post Office. Everybody south of Townsend Road is more than a mile away, which is at least 40 per cent of Chesham's population. People are livid about it and recognise me and they expect a solution."
Prasann Patel, owner of Waterside News, said he is prepared to offer his premises, which had been a Post Office for at least a century when it closed last year due to national government closure plans.
He said: "If an opportunity came up I would apply for the job. I have 22 years experience as a subpostmaster. I know the people in the community, which makes it easier and I love the job. If the Post Office wanted to use my premises I would be very happy to do it at any time. They don't require any notice with me."
Cheryl Gillan, Chesham and Amersham MP, said: "Post Office Ltd have advised that, due to the nature of the closure of the present Post Office, it may take approximately three months to secure a new site. I believe three months is too long a process, particularly given that Christmas is approaching and I am currently exploring what improvements can be made to the timetable."
She added that she would work with Post Office Ltd to try to restore the services.
A Post Office spokesperson said:"We understand that customers in Chesham
will be concerned about the future of Post Office services in their area.
The provision of a Post Office branch in the local community is important
to us, and we will continue to work hard to restore a facility in the area
as soon as possible."
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Perhaps a demonstration should be held over at Chequers - just as Brown and his acolytes are sitting down to an ill-deserved Christmas dinner. Ultimately, he's behind this. He hates English middle-class areas like Chesham because they tend to reject Socialism and all its works.
I don't think you really mean to call Alison a 'poser' do you?