Campaigners' fears on plan for Willenhall post office
Campaigners have voiced fears over a potential downgrading of a post office – as bosses revealed action needed to be taken as the business was in 'crisis'.
Controversial plans have been announced to shut Willenhall post office and move services into a shop, sparking protests from users.
It is one of 70 Crown Post Office branches, or those run directly by the Post Office, earmarked to be franchised.
Residents at a public meeting in the Willenhall Chart Centre said no other shops in the area could cope with the volume of customers from the post office. But bosses said every £1 made at the John Street branch was costing the Post Office £1.44.
Expressions of interest from retailers wanting to take over the post office service are still being reviewed and a consultation will follow. But Walsall North MP David Winnick called for a public vote to determine the future of the branch, while urging people to continue their fight.
Geoff Owen, who works as a counter clerk at the Willenhall branch, and is concerned for his job, said he feared the service would be reduced service.
Neville Turley, 72, of Orchard Road, said: "We are already dying in Willenhall as a town. It's going to take more away."
But Richard Lynds, senior stakeholder manager for Post Office Ltd, stressed services would be enhanced and there would be no compulsory redundancies. But he added the Post Office made a loss of £121 million last year and only showed a profit due to the £180m government subsidy.
He added: "This is something we have got to do. We are a business in crisis."
