Post office 'must stay'

12:30pm Wednesday 13th February 2008

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A POST office in York that could be axed today received fresh backing from local councillors, who vowed to continue their campaign to save the branch.

Post Office Ltd postponed the decision on whether to close Micklegate Post Office because of the strength of opposition from campaigners and Postwatch.

Paul Abbott, owner of the branch, said he did not intend to continue campaigning.

But City of York councillor Dave Merrett, who represents Micklegate ward, said: "I will continue the campaign to save the post office from closure.

"Not withstanding that Paul may wish to move on, the sub post office is an extremely important local facility that must not be closed.

"Local residents have made it very clear - we have the best part of 1,000 signatures against this closure. It's vital for local businesses as well."

City of York councillor Sandy Fraser, who also represents the ward, said he too would continue the fight to save the branch from the axe.

An anonymous source, who asked not to be named, said Mr Abbott had "worked tirelessly" to build up his business into one of the busiest and most efficient post offices in York.

But the source said he had up to now played no part in the campaign to stop the closure of the branch.

Mr Abbott said: "Because City of York Council has given us parking tickets for parking our delivery vehicles outside the post office - and because it has given parking tickets to our customers for parking outside and near the post office - we have decided to call it a day.

"How can you continue to run a business when the Government has given the pensions pot to banks, when we've lost TV licences and when we've got a council that persecutes us for running a small business?"

Mr Abbott said the last parking ticket the council had issued him with was at 7pm on a Sunday night.

He said he had been told by the authority he had to load and unload in five minutes - but he said that was not enough time.

He said he believed someone had a vendetta against him and that they were reporting him to the council when he was unloading and loading his car outside the post office.

He said the branch was struggling for income because of the uncertainty.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "The double yellow line restrictions in Micklegate are there to ensure that traffic is able to flow safely in both directions through one of the city's main thoroughfares. Pay-and-display bays are available for shoppers to use in parts of Micklegate and the charge is only 40 pence for the first hour. Parking attendants do not give out penalty charge notices if items are being unloaded or loaded to the vehicle.

"In fact, they are instructed to continuously observe any vehicle for at least five minutes before issuing a ticket to make absolutely certain that there are no misunderstandings. The details of this observation period are noted on the penalty charge notice."