Haxby Road Post Office opens its doors for the last time

4:39am Tuesday 1st April 2008

Comments (1)   Have your say »

ANOTHER post office counter in York has shut for the final time, as the national branch closure programme continues.

The Haxby Road branch closed at 1pm yesterday, amid scenes of sadness and frustration.

Ghulam Rabbani, 59, has run the branch for the past 18 years. He said: "It is not a matter of how our business will be hit. It is about how much the community will be hit. The nearest alternative is up a hill, then down a hill, and it is not easy for old aged pensioners to get to.

"For people living in The Groves, it's going to be a nightmare."

Local councillors and police community support officers surprised Mr Rabbani yesterday morning, by presenting him with a special cake and certificate, to mark his 18 years' service to the local area.

Coun Ken King said: "It's a incredibly sad day but it couldn't go by without proper recognition of what Mr Rabbani has provided for the local community.

"We really hoped this day would not come, but come it has and the special cake was an idea to show our appreciation. I hope Mr Rabbani enjoys his last day and his richly deserved retirement."

Haxby Road is one of two offices in the Clifton ward to shut, the other being at Clifton Green. The only one to remain open in the ward is the Crichton Avenue branch.

Coun David Scott said: "We have always believed that all the Clifton post offices are an important part of the community. The closure of this post office is simply wrong. Mr Rabbani has shown how valuable this service is to the residents of Clifton.

"We will be nominating him for a Community Pride award.

"We want to thank him on behalf of the community he has served for everything he has done."

Coun Helen Douglas said: "The closure of this, and those other post offices affected in the city is wrong and all we can say is thank you to those people who rallied around to fight the decision."

Haxby Road is one of 50 post offices in York and North and East Yorkshire, and 2,500 nationwide, being axed under the restructure of the post office network, despite more than 6,000 people signing The Press's Cut The Closures petition.