MATLOCK: Post office faces closure, councillor claims

Cllr Stevens told the Mercury this week that he was concerned on the effect this would have on the town and many local people who use the Post Office on a regular basis.

He continued stating the population of Matlock is over 10,000 people and the larger area that uses Matlock as its main Market Town is well over 30,000. Matlock serves an even larger rural hinterland than many other towns of its size.

Cllr Stevens said: “It is important that we make sure that our rural areas are not further disadvantaged by more Post Office closures as some of our surrounding villages have already lost their post offices.

“If the plan is to move the Post Office into retail premises within the town then those premises must be be located in the town centre, therefore making it convenient for the elderly and disabled customers and all others members of the community who use the Post Office on a regular basis because of the large range of services that it provides.”

Cllr Stevens concluded by saying he hopes that there will be a full public consultation before talk of closure or relocation is progressed any further.

Cllr Stevens announced his fears over the possible closure following an announcement that sub-postmasters were considering a restructuring plan which could lead to the closure of 3,000 post offices in towns and cities across the UK.

Grants are to be offered to improve urban branches but staff are expected to be given two years’ pay if they decide to leave.

Around a third of the present 9,000-strong urban network of post offices could be closed under the restructuring.

The Post Office has said there are too many branches in towns and cities and it is increasingly difficult for sub-postmasters to run viable businesses, let along invest in the future.

A Post Office spokesman said: “All proposals will be carefully tailored to local conditions with proper and full consultation before change.”

Rural post offices would not be affected by the plan.

There are more than 17,500 post offices in the UK, which are visited by 28 million people every week, but the network is losing an estimated £100 million a year on total sales of £1.2 billion.

The network faces the loss of £400 million a year when benefit payments are made into bank accounts instead of through order books at Post Office branches.