THE fate of three post offices in York and Selby will be decided tomorrow.

Post Office Ltd will announce its decision on the future of the Gerard Avenue branch in Burnholme, the Osbaldwick branch in Farndale Road, both in York, and the Brayton Road branch, in Doncaster Road, Selby.

Residents in Osbaldwick have launched a campaigned to keep their branch open.

They say if it is forced to close, a post office should be moved into the local newsagent.

Campaign team leader Gerald Grisdale said the facility was vital to the village, particularly as hundreds of homes were set to be built there and at least 22 per cent of the village were aged between 60 and 74.

"The post office should be moved into the newsagents," Mr Grisdale said.

"The village is overwhelmingly opposed to its closure. I asked the Post Office many questions about this issue during the consultation period and I'm still waiting for a response."

The Evening Press reported last year that MPs voted to approve a £210 million compensation package which allowed the Post Office to axe a total of about 3,000 outlets across the country - a third of the urban network.

Jackie Donley, 75, who runs Osbaldwick's over-50s keep fit club, said elderly people were not being taken into account by the Post Office.

"We're supposed to go to Tang Hall Post Office if it closes but you've got to queue for 15 minutes just to get in the shop.

"We've campaigned really hard to keep it open but have been met with a really negative response.

"It will be a nightmare if it closes."

A spokesman for the Post Office said there were too many outlets competing for too little business.

He said because of increased running costs and concerns about future income, many sub-postmasters would no longer have viable businesses unless changes were made.

Updated: 10:25 Thursday, May 22, 2003