Villagers 'suffering' after loss of post office (From Borehamwood Times)

Villagers 'suffering' after loss of post office

9:30am Saturday 29th November 2008 in News By Suruchi Sharma

Eight weeks after Elstree’s post office closed, villagers say they are “suffering” without it.

And this week a Post Office Ltd spokeswoman confirmed no representatives will visit the area, despite being asked twice to do so — by this newspaper and council leader Morris Bright.

The company, which is subsidised by the Government, announced on June 17 that the branch was earmarked for closure. Customers were advised to travel to Borehamwood or Edgware.

The final decision to close the High Street branch was revealed in August following a six-week public consultation that ended in July. It closed in October.

Stacey Bugden, 35, from Elgar Close, has three children and said travelling to the Borehamwood post office, in Shenley Road, is expensive and difficult.

She said: “I can’t go down to Borehamwood as it is so difficult to go with my three children. I am a single mother, so paying £4 to get to Borehamwood is expensive.

“I used the post office here in Elstree at least twice a week to get benefits, pay my gas and electric bills and post letters. Now what used to be something simple like getting a package delivered here has become a major task.

“It is also the elderly in the area who have suffered as they can not get to Borehamwood easily especially in the winter months.”

Former sub-postmistress Kumunthini Easpran-athan said: “We are going to keep the shop open but the closure of the post office has definitely affected residents.”

In July, Hertsmere Borough Council leader Morris Bright, and Hertsmere MP James Clappison spoke at a public meeting called by the Borehamwood & Elstree Times, which was attended by more than 60 people.

Mr Bright said: “I would have hoped the Post Office would consider the request to visit as they were invited to the public meeting and also by me when I met with them in September.

“A temporary post office would be good for the area even if it was a severely reduced facility, but the hope is the Post Office would make an effort to come and visit the area and perhaps travel the distance to Borehamwood from Elstree to learn how difficult it is for residents.

“The Post Office should re-visit their decision as people are suffering.”

A Post Office spokeswoman said: “The decision on this area plan has now been made and the decision to close the Elstree branch will not be reviewed as we have now completed the consultation and decision process.

“I believe that back in September a request was received to visit the branch but as the decision had already been made, following consideration of all consultation responses, this request was turned down.”