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MP and councillors act to save Worle Post Office

22 June 2009

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose, together with local councillors Roz Willis, Sue Creasey and Lisa Pilgrim, has written to the Chief Executives of the Co-op and the Post Office about the future of Worle High Street’s Post Office, following the announcement that the Co-Op, which includes the branch, will be closing.

Many local residents have contacted the MP and Councillors since the news broke that the branch could be under threat. The Co-op are taking over the Somerfield store, also on Worle High Street, and moving their existing shop to the new site. There are fears the Post Office branch may be closed as part of the move.

John said: "Worle Post Office branch is well-used and if it were to close local residents would be forced to use the nearest alternative branches which are almost a mile away. Weston-super-Mare has already lost six of its 27 post offices in the last couple of years and the loss of another one could be disastrous for local residents, particularly for pensioners and people with no means of transport."

"The local Councillors and I have written to the Co-Op to urge them to keep the Post Office open after they've moved to their new store. And we've written to the Post office with the same message, telling them we've had several enquiries from other local shopkeepers who are interested in taking on the branch if the Co-op don't want to. We understand discussions are currently underway between the Co-op and the Post Office and obviously everybody hopes they're successful but, if there are any problems, we need to act quickly to sort them out."