'Our post office is a lifeline, don't close it'

The Post Office plans to close or franchise 115 crown offices, which are run directly by the business rather than subpostmasters and are often found in city and town centres. People in Morley, near Leeds, hope their branch will remain at the heart of the community.

"It's not just a post office, everybody knows everybody," said Melanie Dominic.

The sales negotiator, 52, who works across the road from the branch, said she could not picture the town without the post office at 129a Queen Street.

"I got my passport done in there, I did my insurance in there," she said.

Many customers said they have grown fond of the friendly staff and used the branch to send birthday cards to family, withdraw cash or pay their bills.

Ms Dominic said a trip to the branch had become part of her daily routine.

She was also concerned about the impact the closure would have on the elderly.

"It's the only time they see people, it will isolate people," she said.

Jackie, who did not give her surname, said if the branch closed she would have to figure out where to go to use banking services in the future as she had started using the post office because "most of the banks have closed".

"What else is going to close? What's going to be left?," the 59-year-old said.

"We've got to fight for what we've got left. We need our post office, it's a lifeline."

Another regular visitor to the Morley branch is Janet Ross.

"I pay my rent there and we send Christmas gifts to Northamptonshire to my partner's family," Ms Ross, 60, said.

She said it would be "devastating" if it were to close, adding: "It's been here for as long as I can remember."

Following the news of the planned closures, a petition to keep the branch open was set up by the Labour MP for Leeds South West and Morley, Mark Sewards.

He said he had requested an urgent meeting with Post Office chairman Nigel Railton to discuss "the devastating implications" a closure would have on residents and the town centre.

According to the Post Office, around 1,000 workers are employed across the 115 branches, with hundreds of further roles under threat at its headquarters.

Mr Railton said in a speech on Wednesday that the shake-up would offer a "new deal for postmasters" by increasing their share of revenue and giving them a greater say in the running of the business.

The plans, which are subject to government funding, would see average branch pay doubled by 2030, with £120m in additional pay by the end of the first year.

A spokesperson for the Post Office said: "The plan intends to create a new operating model for the business that means ensuring the Post Office has the right organisational design."

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