Postwatch to talk to Blatchcombe residents about proposed Foxhole post office closure

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Aug 2004

Mike Treleaven, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for the Totnes Constituency will be at Foxhole post office on Wednesday August 25th a t 2.00p.m. to join local residents in talking to Postwatch manager, Gary Hepburn, who is coming to seek the views of local residents on the proposed closure.

Speaking about the visit Mike Treleaven said:

' The Foxhole post office is an essential part of life in Blatchcombe with many people relying on it for pension and benefit payments as well as stamps TV licences and all the usual post office services. The nearest alternative at Marldon Road is over ½ mile away and the area is quite hilly. All this makes it more difficult for the elderly and those without transport.'

He continued:

' Successive Conservative and Labour governments have cut the heart out of the post office system with changes to the way benefits are paid and I can quite understand why Trevor Coe, the postmaster, who has no other business but the post office, wishes to leave. I hope the post office will investigate alternatives to the stand alone post office with another business possibly taking it over. The real problem is that the Government now subsidises rural post offices to a degree, but there is no similar subsidy for urban offices that often suffer the same problems. I hope all the local residents will come along on Wednesday afternoon and make their feelings known.'