Warning: Even more post offices could be axed

Postmasters in Littlehampton, Bognor and Chichester had hoped they had escaped the axe after it was announced last week that 49 branches were to close in Sussex.

But a decision has still to be made on two remaining constituencies in West Sussex '“ Chichester and Crawley.

For post office branches in those areas, owners face an agonising wait to see if they will be affected by proposed closures.

Bognor and Littlehampton areas were affected by closures two years ago and Conservative MP for Bognor and Littlehampton, Nick Gibb, said: "If there are more going in our area there will be a lot of unhappiness and it's something we will seek to fight.

"These post offices are very important to people, particularly the pensioners, and there's a high proportion of pensioners in Littlehampton and Bognor."

On Tuesday, the Post Office began a six-week public consultation on the Government's Network Change programme, which proposes closing 49 branches in Sussex and replacing two branches with outreach services, or mobile stations.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette November 21