Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Residents show post office support

24/ 6/2008

BALDERSTONE residents were among those who packed into a public meeting to pledge their support to keep Buersil Post Office open.

More than 100 people attended the meeting at St Mary’s Church, Balderstone. Speakers included MP Paul Rowen and councillors Dale Mulgrew, Gregory Couzens and Ann Metcalfe, along with Buersil postmaster Jay Patel.

Cllr Mulgrew, who represents the Balderstone ward, said: "The wonderful attendance here tonight (Monday) shows how hugely emotive the issue of post office closures is, and how much local people want Buersil Post Office to survive."

Mr Patel said he took over the post office 11 years ago and had built it into a very profitable business. Should it close, customers would have to travel to either the centre of Royton or Lowerplace, as post offices at the Halfway House, Summit and in Turf Hill had already closed.

Mr Patel said: "It’s not about profitability. It’s totally unjust. There are pensioners who come to us in a taxi each week – can you imagine how much it would cost them to travel any further?"

A Hill Top Drive resident said: "I’m disabled and I can’t afford to travel by taxi."

Mr Rowen said that on Mondays he was usually in the House of Commons but added: "I felt it important that I be here. This is very different to the post office closures we had four years ago. Then, they were voluntary, and in the main unprofitable. But the ones we are dealing with now are profitable. Three of the four in my constituency are very heavily used. Post offices are at the very heart of our community and that is why we’re here tonight."

He said the Government wanted to close 2,500 post offices and described it as ‘a false economy’. Councillor Metcalfe said the issue had cross party support in Rochdale.

Former Labour councillor Darren Pedley said: "I’m fully behind Jay and can’t defend my Government when it makes mistakes."