The decision to close 2500 post offices

Post Office Ltd is suffering from falling customer numbers, a decline in traditional services, changing consumer behaviour and rising losses. For example in 2005 there were £2 million losses a week and in 2006 this rose to £4 million losses a week.

On 17 May 2007 the Government announced its policy on the future of the network. The full policy can be viewed at: www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39479.pdf

However, in summary the policy announced:

• the proposed closure of 2500 branches (out of 14,300 branches);
• the introduction of minimum access criteria to remaining branches;
• support funding for the network to be provided by the government; and
• the introduction of around 500 outreach branches.

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Outreach models

There are four outreach models:

• home (for example someone running a service from their house);
• hosted (for example within a community hall);
• mobile (for example a mobile van); and
• partner (for example a post office within a public house).

The type offered will depend on its location, size and customer numbers. Outreach services are linked to a core outlet to serve smaller communities.

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Access criteria

The access criteria is that nationally:

• 99% of the UK population to be within three miles of their nearest branch;
• 90% of the UK population to be within one mile of their nearest branch;
• 99% of the total population in deprived urban areas across the UK to be within one mile of their nearest branch;
• 95% of the total urban population across the UK to be within one mile of their nearest branch; and
• 95% of the total rural population across the UK to be within three miles of their nearest branch.

This criteria takes into account obstacles like rivers, mountains, motorways, availability of public transport and so on.

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Area plans - St Edmundsbury

The country is divided into 50 distinct areas, each area being made up of a number of parliamentary constituencies. The area plans that affected St Edmundsbury were:

• East Essex and Suffolk area plan (includes South Suffolk constituency).
  This was prepared during August 2007 and public consultation took place during October 2007. 
  The St Edmundsbury post offices within the South Suffolk constituency were not recommended for closure.
  
  
• Norfolk and West Suffolk area plan (includes Bury St Edmunds and West Suffolk constituency).
  This was prepared in January 2008 and public consultation started on 26 March 2008 and finished on 2 June 2008. Post Office Ltd made their decision announcement on 24 June 2008.

The seven post offices in St Edmundsbury (one is urban, the rest are rural) that were proposed for closure and have since closed are:

The full area plan proposal document can be downloaded via the useful website links at the bottom of this page.

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Have your say

The public consutaltion for St Edmundsbury post offices has now finished (contact details for Post Office Ltd and PostWatch remain below)