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Post office £300k lifeline rejected
A £300,000 offer by Westminster Council to save the post offices in Harrow Road and Formosa Street has been rejected by postmasters.
The council has offered to finance the branches for the next three years, but in return the postmasters would have to sign a contract with the Post Office for five years – leaving them footing the extra £200,000 bill. The postmasters say this last-ditch attempt to save the branches is completely unaffordable.
Formosa Street postmaster Dhimant Patel said: “It is not something we can afford to do and there is no way I can accept it. It is good the council is trying to do something but it was never going to be easy and what they have come up with does not make financial sense.
“I could not afford to pay the extra two years – the amount you have to pay the post office every year is enough to open a small business.
The Harrow Road post office closed on Monday.
Communities chief Councillor Brian Connell admitted the offer is over ambitious. He said: “Despite our best efforts, it is unlikely this will be enough to save these post offices.
“We recognise post offices play an important role within local communities and that is why we have spent months in talks with Post Office Ltd to try to secure their future.
“Our financial package was based on keeping these private businesses open for the next five years – and ultimately it’s the businesses themselves who need to make their own decisions about whether they can continue to pay the huge licence fees.” |
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