Final days for over 40 post offices
Forty-three post offices across the Black Country and Worcestershire will be closed by the start of December, the Express & Star can reveal today.
Forty-three post offices across the Black Country and Worcestershire will be closed by the start of December, the Express & Star can reveal today.
Despite huge campaigns from customers and politicians of all parties to keep the branches open, a total of 54 are due to close with the Government blaming dwindling custom. Royal Mail today revealed the majority of the branches will close in the week between November 25 and December 1. Rushall post office is the first of the Walsall branches to close on November 25.
Pam Dhillon, who runs the branch in Lichfield Road, said: "It is very sad as we will be open for just a few more weeks now. It is used by the elderly and will be a loss to the area."
In Wolverhampton five are being forced to close.
Balwant Singh Bilkhu, aged 57, has run Newhampton Road West Post Office in Whitmore Reans for 28 years and must close up by 1pm on November 28.
He said: "It's all come around very quickly. They just sent us the poster to put on the door with the date that we are closing.
"There's nothing more to say now – it's devastating. We will try to keep the shop open but without the post office it won't pay enough. I just hope I can get work as a relief manager at other post offices."
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A further 13 branches in the region will be replaced by substitute services. The news follows a six-week consultation by Post Office Ltd in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell and Worcestershire.
Royal Mail said every customer's comments in the public consultation had been taken into account.
Mark Partington, Post Office Ltd's network development manager for Herefordshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly."
Just one branch, The Butts in Walsall, won its fight to stay open but its reprieve means another branch, Wilkin in Brownhills, is now under threat.
A six-week consultation on this new proposal began on Tuesday. The announcement is the last in a year-long nationwide programme.
When the axe will fall
Post offices to close on or by the following dates:
November 20 – Stone, near Kidderminster;
November 25 – Wolverley, near Kidderminster; High Street, West Bromwich; Rushall, Walsall; Round's Green, Oldbury; Portobello, Willenhall; Rood End, Oldbury, Pinvin, Pershore;
November 26 – Silver End, Brierley Hill; Dudley Fields, Walsall; Villiers Avenue, Bilston;
November 27 – Comberton Hill, Kidderminster; The Walshes, Stourport; New Street, West Bromwich; Stafford Street, Walsall; Pedmore, Stourbridge;
November 28 – Upper Penn, Wolverhampton, Newhampton Road West, Wolverhampton;
December 1 – Barnett Lane, Kingswinford; Oldswinford, Stourbridge; Victoria Park, Smethwick, Stanley Road ,Oldbury; Prestwood Road, Wolverhampton, Delves, Walsall.
