Save our Post Offices
Pauline Macken is campaigning to save the post office on Hodder Way in Poulton and she gives her reasons here.
1. This post office serves hundreds of old age pensioners,disabled and youngsters who go to a nearby school.
2. Its the only post office in this area as three other sub post offices closed several years ago.
3. The residents from this area can walk to the post office thereby saving on omissions if they were to use their cars.
4. Local business's on the estate and surrounding areas use it as time is money for companies. They can park free and not wait in queues.
5. Pensioners and students draw their money from here and pay their bills.
6. The post office consultation team say there is a good bus service. Just one down highcross road,making it impossible for thous who
live near the post office as there is a downhill and then an uphill climb to get to it. There are NO BUS's on Garstang road into Poulton.
7. If this post office closes it is threatening the livelihood of the sub post master.
8. There is also a lot of new houses in this area being built Poulton post office wont cope. There is a lack of infrastructure.
9. For the pensioners that don't drive and would not be able to walk the distance to get a bus they would have to pay out for taxis.
This will add another expense to there meger pension.
I am trying my best to get this post office a reprieve. Up to now I have e-mailed the prime minister with NO response. I have also e-mailed David Cameron's office and I received a letter back with-in the hour. I have been in touch with our local MP Ben Wallace and our local councillor Roger Berry. We have collected over a 1000 signatures on petitions for this area alone.
I am working on stories with the evening gazette. I have sent letters to the post office consultation team and post watch.
This is a sample in brief of fact and fiction.
STATISTICS BASED ON FACT NOT FICTION.
FACT THIS POST OFFICE IS USED BY 85% PENSIONERS,YOUNGER SIX FORMERS AND THE LOCAL RESIDENTS MAKE UP THE REST.
FACT THE STUDENTS AT THE NEARBY SCHOOL GET THERE MONEY FROM HERE AS ITS HANDY,THEY HAVE NOT GOT TIME TO GO TO
POULTON.
FACT THE SUB POST MASTER AND HIS WIFE HAVE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY INTO MAKING THIS POST OFFICE THE CENTRE OF
THE COMMUNITY.
FACT IF THIS POST OFFICE IS FORCED TO CLOSE THIS WILL PUT THEIR LIVLEYHOOD IN DANGER AND POULTON WILL NOT GET THE
TRADE.
REASON IF RESIDENTS HAVE TO GET OUT THEIR CARS TO GO FOR MONEY THEN THE LARGE SUPERMARKETS WILL GET THE TRADE.
NO PARKING CHARGE (AT THE MOMENT ITS A £1 TO PARK OR £25 FOR A PARKING PERMIT) AGAIN PENSIONERS ARE HIT.
WITHDRAW MONEY FROM MACHINES
PICK UP BREAD AND MILK ETC.
at the moment they can do all this at the post office.
FACT BUSINESS'S IN THE AREA USE THIS POST OFFICE FOR BANKING.
AGAIN NO PARKING CHARGES. NO WAITING.
POULTON IS OVERSTRETCHED AS IT IS WITH ALL THE NEW HOUSES AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT KEEPING UP WITH
PROGRESS
WHAT THE CONSULTANTS SAY
FICTION THE DISTANCE TO A BUS STOP IS MORE THAN 100YDS.
FICTION YES THERE IS LEVEL TERRAIN IN POULTON BUT NOT ROUND HODDERWAY.
FICTION THE GOVERNMENT HAS STATED THAT THEY WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE POST OFFICE REMAINS AT THE HEART OF THE
COMMUNITIES. HOW CAN THIS BE SO IF THEY CLOSE THIS ONE.
FICTION THE TAX PAYERS MONEY HAS BEEN WASTED ON THIS SURVEY ANYONE COULD HAVE STUCK PINS IN MAPS AND COME UP WITH
THE SAME EXCUSES BUT FOR LESS MONEY.
THEY DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY AND LESS MOBILE. AFTER ALL THE ELDERLY OF TODAY PAYED ALL THERE TAXES AND ALL THEY ASK IS THAT THEY ARE LOOKED AFTER IN OLD AGE.
If you would like to protest about this closure or any other in your area then visit the Blackpool Gazette site here and sign the petition.