CAMPAIGNERS have gathered outside York's biggest Post Office in an attempt to save it from being closed.

Public consultation is currently open on the future of the Post Office in Lendal, over plans to close it and move its services into the WH Smiths in Coney Street.

Paul Clays, regional secretary of the Communication Workers Union said the building was one of the last to be purpose-built as a Post Office, "makes a profit every year", and should be fought for by the public.

 

He said: "They want to close the Post Office that's been there since 1840, a purpose-built Post Office, and put it in the back of a paper shop down the road. That will take away all the access that the public have got, and now they have access for disabled people and older people who find this Post Office easy to get into and out of. It's an absolute disgrace that a public service is being attacked just for the sake of profit.

"The reaction from the public and the politicians has been absolute support. There hasn't been a councillor that hasn't said they'll support this, there hasn't been a member of the public who doesn't think it's a good idea to have a proper Post Office in the heart of the city centre. What we're hoping is to delay this campaign, stop going through this consultation and work out what is a profitable site to make sure we can keep it for the future."

 

Cllr Denise Craghill, who represents Guildhall Ward, said the proposed move was unnecessary and would make life more difficult for those who use the Post Office services.

She said: "It's so important that we retain this building as the Post Office for York, I think it's a matter of civic pride and I hope that all parties will get behind this campaign. If you go in there any day you'll see really long queues of people, and things may have changed with online or whatever, but I think there's still a huge demand and a need to have a central Post Office in an accessible location that can provide a full range of services. Putting it in a shop just doesn't do the trick, really. Especially when people can't reach it easily.

"I've started getting emails from residents who are concerned about this and who want to keep a proper Post Office in York and I think we need to draw the line here against this privatisation of everything. I know it is technically privatised but at least here it is a building we can be proud of and that we can use properly as a post office. Please write in, please make your views known and tell the Post Office how much you value having this building here in York."