PRESS STATEMENT – PRESS STATEMENT – PRESS STATEMENT

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SDLP MLA BURNS: UNEASE ABOUT POST OFFICE CLOSURES
 

SDLP South Antrim MLA Thomas Burns has expressed his unease about reports of Post Office closures.

He commented, “I am very concerned by these proposals as both urban and rural post offices provide an extremely important service to local residents. The decision to close almost 100 local post offices will be greeted with shock and disappointment by everyone.”

Mr Burns maintained that senior citizens and those people living in rural areas would be “hit the hardest”.

He said, “In the countryside post offices are at the heart of the community and they provide vital services which can’t be obtained anywhere else. Since the Assembly got up and going again there has been quite a lot of talk about rural development and building a sustainable rural community. The decision by the Post Office to close branches in many rural heartlands is contrary to any development plans that are being considered.

“Older people will also greet this news with dismay. For many pensioners their local post office is a lifeline – a central feature of the community, and a key part of their social network”, he added.

Local Post Offices scheduled for closure include the branches at Parkhall Shopping Centre in Antrim, the branch at Crosskeys, Toomebridge and the branch at Loughbeg Road in Moneyglass.

The SDLP representative further added, “Those post offices in South Antrim which are earmarked for closure will be sorely missed if they go. I will be looking for a meeting with the Post Office authorities, for data on footfall and financial performance, and I will be carefully examining the economic case being made to justify these closures.

“I would urge all those affected by these proposals to voice their opinions during the six-week-long consultation process which will begin shortly. The timeframe of just six weeks is simply too short and I would ask that this is reconsidered so we can fully establish the extent of the inconvenience that these cutbacks will bring.”
 

ENDS