Welcome to the website of the campaign to save Willingdon Post Office from closure.

Willingdon Post Office will be shut under the governments plans to close 2500 branches by the end of 2008.

An announcement was made on the 13th November, detailing which post offices were earmarked for closure on the area plan for Sussex.

There was a six week public consultation process running, which ended on the 24th December. In view of the restricted timescale, particularly in the run up to Christmas, it was deemed necessary to forewarn customers in the hopes that sufficient support could be mustered to save Willingdon post office from closure, so our campaign started earlier than those for other post offices in the area.

Unfortunately, the only criteria applied in deciding which post offices were chosen for closure appears to be that set by the government, which has been reworded on the post office website so it is now so ambiguous it would appear that ANY branch can be closed and the criteria still be met! This takes no account of ease of, or desire to access any particular branch, or indeed how profitable or friendly a particular branch is.

 

Willingdon Post Office has occupied the same building since 1940, and has to be one of the most picturesque branches in the country - the quintessential old English village post office; but step inside and you find a fresh, modern, open plan branch, that beautifully combines the best of old and new - an asset to the post office network, and was well worth saving.

Post Office Ltd, however, were unconvinced of the strong arguments against closure. They have ignored the errors in their consultation documents regarding the supposed "regular" and "frequent" bus services to the alternative branches; they seem oblivious to the fact that the terrain makes walking to and from alternative branches difficult for all but the fittest walkers; and they have ignored the residents of Ratton completely, who will now find themselves well over a mile from their nearest post office branch.

Postwatch appear to be completely powerless, and if they raised any of the above concerns with Post Office Ltd, then those arguments were obviously dismissed.

We wish to thank you all for the support you provided to the campaign to keep Willingdon Post Office open. Particular thanks must go to our local MP, Nigel Waterson, and to the parish vicar, Fr. Martin Onions, both of whom provided exceptional support and advice throughout the campaign.

The Post Office will remain open as usual until Post Office Ltd remove their services in late April, but the shop will continue trading - please keep using it!

Post Office Ltd may not value your custom, but Willingdon Post Office does! Please keep using the shop, so it may continue to serve the village for many years to come.

 

WILLINGDON POST OFFICE WILL CLOSE - THE "PEOPLES POST OFFICE" HAVE IGNORED THE STRONG ARGUMENTS AGAINST CLOSURE AND INTEND TO CLOSE THE BRANCH IN LATE APRIL. A BIG, TEARFUL THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.