Village post office still fighting to stay open
A VILLAGE post office has fought to stay open six months after it was due to close.
Rippingale Post Office, which is part of the village shop, was scheduled by Post Office Ltd to close at the beginning of the year and be replaced with a mobile Outreach office.
Sub-postmaster Simon Deane, who runs the post office and village shop, said: “This branch should have closed in the first week of January, but absolutely nothing has happened. We were told by Post Office last August that it would shut.
“The person who was going to take on the outreach service has pulled out. It has also been delayed after additional consultations with Postwatch.”
Jim Latham is a member of the Friends of Rippingale Post Office – a protest group which was set up to help save the village branch. He said: “It is still open, which is some kind of achievement.
“We gave Post Office more grief than anyone in the country and we are still here waiting. We just do not know what is going to happen. It could be good or bad news.”
Mr Deane is frustated about the situation and said: “I have been left dangling. I cannot move on with the business. There is nothing I can do. I am just waiting for Post Office to act on their decision.”
A Post Office Ltd spokesman said: “We are progressing with our proposal to replace Rippingale branch with an Outreach service but details are yet to be finalised.
“It is our intention that a replacement Outreach service will be in place before the existing branch closes.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bourne
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
