Customers slam the Post Office ‘madness’

Jul 25 2008

OUTRAGED customers have slammed the decision to axe a clutch of post offices.

Bustling business face closure and livelihoods are at stake as a result of the announcement.

The Ayrshire Post hit the streets to test public reaction – and the mood wasn’t pretty.

We grabbed a flavour of the feeling from people who use Forehill Post Office – one of the busiest set to close.

A petition is already underway within the store in a bid to save the vital service.

COLIN Manson reckons it would be “madness” to close offices like Forehill.

“You should see the queue outside this place of a morning,” he said.

“It’s a successful post office that is never lying empty and I use it all the time for my international mail.

“It would be madness to close it.”

SYBELLE English relies on Forehill post office to draw her pension.

She admitted: “From now on I’ll have to do that in the town centre and I think it’s terrible.

“I’m adding my name to the petition straight away.”

RON Smith, 64, worries about Forehill’s older residents when the shutters come down on their post office.

He said: “What will will happen to the 80 and 90-year-olds from the housing complex?

“They can’t be expected to travel into town every time they need to use the post office.”

ANN McDiarmid fears for the future without Forehill’s post office – a lifeline for the elderly.

Ann, 60, insisted: “Lots of people rely on that post office for so many services. You can do everything in there and if it’s taken away, it will be a huge loss to the area.”

JANE Dempsey doesn’t even use Forehill post office – but even she’s disgusted by the move.

Jane, of Craigie, admitted: “I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.

“There will be people here with troops in the army and they’ll use that post office to send them parcels abroad.”

MARGARET Dodds uses Forehill post office on behalf of her mother.

So she was quick to support the petition.

Margaret, 39, revealed: “I use the office whenever my mum needs me to.

“If she’s using it herself, she’ll face a trip to town and that will be a huge disruption for her.”