Council sees post office reopened

A post office that shut under a national closure programme has reopened its doors after receiving help from the local county council.

The branch at Buckhurst Hill, Essex, closed eight months ago, one of hundreds across Britain already shut down under a review of the network.

Based in a convenience store, the Post Office is the first to be reopened with the help of a council.

The Post Office said it had negotiated with Essex council for "many months".

The council is not allowed to subsidise the business, but it is providing grants that can be used to make modifications to the shop.

When we closed a lot of my customers told me how strongly they felt about it and I had a lot of support Praful Chavda, shop owner

Essex County Council has set aside £1.5m with the aim of opening up to 15 branches which closed in the county.

Now 150 councils have contacted Essex about adopting similar rescue plans in their areas.

Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, officially opened the branch and purchased stamps from Praful Chavda who runs the store where the post office is based.

He then used these to send a postcard to Gordon Brown informing him that the post office was open for business.

Mr Chavda said his customers would be pleased that a post office counter would be available again.

"When we closed a lot of my customers told me how strongly they felt about it and I had a lot of support," he said.

"It was a great shame we had to close, so when the opportunity came along from Essex County Council to reopen, I was pleased to accept the opportunity.

"Once word got around that we were reopening, I have had such positive comments from residents it has been really pleasing."

The council said that in many parts of Essex, the sub-post office was an important community facility as well as a commercial business.

Ongoing closures

Lord Hanningfield said: "Post offices are at the heart of our communities and they play a vital role to many of our most vulnerable.

"This is exactly what effective local government should be doing - identifying local needs and priorities and delivering on them for local people.

"Essex County Council is setting the benchmark in delivering what its residents want.

"The model used now provides a blueprint, should they wish, for others to follow.

"However, one thing is clear - with the reopening of this branch, no-longer is it correct to speak of a national closure programme numbering 2,500.

"I'm delighted that Essex has bucked the trend."

A Post Office spokesman said: "The Post Office has been in a constructive dialogue with Essex County Council for many months and we wish them every success in their venture."

The BBC's local government correspondent, John Andrew, said the decision followed "long and sometimes tortuous negotiations" between the council and Post Office Limited.

"Some could reopen as counters in libraries or in community halls," he said.

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