Council & Residents save borough Post Offices

Three of the six post offices threatened with closure in Hammersmith and Fulham have been saved, thanks to a joint campaign by residents and the council.

The Starch Green sub-post office branch at 7 King’s Parade in Askew Road, W6, the Kenyon Street branch in Fulham and the branch at 146 Shepherds Bush Road, W6 will remain open.

Formal notification was given last week by Post Office Ltd that these three branches are among the seven across London that have been saved from closure.  It is amazing that out of the seven saved in London - nearly half are in Hammersmith & Fulham.  Our borough has seen closure after closure in recent years - pleas from local residents fell on deaf ears.  Our voice has finally been heard.  The latest closure plans appear to have been a step too far even for the Post Office!

With the help of local residents, we did our homework and presented Post Office Ltd with a dossier which they simply couldn’t argue with.  When we called them in for our public meeting on March 19, they confessed that they did not know about the fifty flats for blind and partially-sighted residents at Pocklington Lodge, near the Askew Road branch.

The plans to rip the heart out of the borough by axing six post office sub-branches were robustly challenged by the council. As well as our formal submission, we have pursued a very high profile campaign with placards and petitions.  We also hosted the public meeting in Hammersmith Town Hall.

Sadly, three branches remain on the chopping block. They are: 780 Fulham Road, 68 Askew Road and 88 Goldhawk Road.

We will continue to press Post Office Ltd to look at alternatives such as a move into our libraries. These services are essential, especially to the elderly and disabled, and we will do everything we can to save them.

Comments

[Jimbob]

"When we called them in for our public meeting on March 19, they confessed that they did not know about the fifty flats for blind and partially-sighted residents at Pocklington Lodge, near the Askew Road branch."

Are these the same blind and partially sighted residents whose homes you intend to have demolished, Paul?

[Paul Bristow]

If you are referring to the Town Hall extension then you might wish to do your homework. The complex we are talking about is no where near the Town Hall and is actually close to the Askew Road.

The Lib Dems made the same mistake and made themselves look very foolish at the public meeting.

[jimbob]

Someone using my name again. I suppose it's one of the perils of using a pseudonymn.

I am a lib dem supporter but i'd never heard of pocklington lodge