Islington Tribune - News: The Zimmers take on No10

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 14 March 2008

Rita Roberts, Sylvia Beaton, Dolores Murray, Islington Council Leader James Kempton and Alf Caretta

The Zimmers take on No10

Bid to save Essex Road post office from closure is taken to Downing Street

ISLINGTON’S environment chief has ruled out a last-minute deal which would see the council go into business with the Post Office to save the Essex Road branch from closure.
Post Office bosses came head-to-head with more than 100 angry residents – including members of elderly rockers The Zimmers – at a heated meeting of the South Area Committee on Tuesday night.
The Zimmers’ Alf Caretta told the meeting he, his band, and council leader James Kempton had just come back from presenting a 3,000-name petition to Downing Street asking for the branch to be saved.
While Post Office external relations manager Martine Munby tried to appease the crowd with promises to look into some kind of deal with the council – an idea championed by Labour leader Councillor Catherine West – environment chief Councillor Lucy Watt said it was not the council’s job to rescue the branch.
She said: “I suspect what they [Labour] are saying is a pre-election gimmick. We’re not going to say yes we will step in because we want the government to preserve the post offices.”
Ms Munby said the Post Office had failed to find someone to take over the franchise and appealed for interested entrepreneurs
to come forward.
But residents accused Ms Munby of selling Essex Road short after she repeatedly told the meeting the building was too small for the Post Office to turn into a profitable business.
Ms Munby said: “We all understand the emotions but we need to get at the facts. We’re talking with the local authority to see what we can do there. We really do want to keep a post office there.”
But when Cllr Gary Doolan asked why Essex Road was picked out, Ms Munby said: “If you’re going to franchise a post office you need enough space. It’s not big enough for a retailer to take it on.”

• Comedienne Victoria Wood and legendary BBC newsreader Richard Baker will join a protest against the proposed closure of their local branch – Highgate Village Post Office on Tuesday, at 10am.

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