PLANS to franchise a busy Post Office could be “absolutely devastating” for the community, campaigners fighting to save it warn.

On January 11 it was announced the Post Office in South Woodford, would be one of 37 Crown Offices across the country to shut its doors.

The postal giant claims moving the George Lane branch and trying to accommodate it in another nearby shop will not have any effect on postal services in the area.

But Communication Workers Union (CWU) representative for east London Clive Tickner is warning of “absolutely devastating consequences” if franchise plans go ahead.

He said: “Crown offices are the beating heart of any high street and the wider community.

“Having the Post Office where it is in George Lane isn’t just convenient, it actually brings extra footfall to the other businesses there.

“Businesses and residents are going to suffer if these plans go ahead.

“This is pure financial dogma – nothing more, nothing less.

“We’d support a good strategy if they had one, but this is completely ill thought out.”

In a statement Post Office said it was in the process of finding a potential franchise partner, and once one is found, all plans will be subject to a six-week public consultation period.

After a meeting with Mr Tickner on Friday (February 3) MP for Chingford and Woodford Green Iain Duncan Smith has expressed major concerns the potential franchise partner could eventually pull out, leaving South Woodford without any postal services at all.

He said: “I will be helping campaign to keep the South Woodford Post Office open.

“I am concerned Post Office managers seem unable to understand just what an asset they have in George Lane.

“Many people rely on it heavily. It also helps attract people to the area who then go on to spend money in other businesses in the road.

“Should the franchise partner decide to move elsewhere, South Woodford will be left without those key services.”

Campaigners say they plan to start a petition and will be handing it out regularly outside the South Woodford Post Office branch.

A public meeting is also set to be organised.

But Post Office claims its proposals are still in “very early stages” and the whole process could take up to 18 months, during which time the South Woodford branch will stay open as usual.

Mr Tickner added: “I’d urge everyone to get involved by signing the petition and coming to the public meeting, to make sure our voices are heard.

“South Woodford’s Post Office is an asset not a liability.

“So with everyone’s support, we are hopeful we can win this fight.”

A spokesman for the South Woodford Society (SWS) branded the proposals an “absolute disgrace and a slap in the face”, while Labour Cllr for Roding Lloyd Duddridge called it a mistake.

He said: “It has been a busy and convenient Post Office the whole of my life.

“As soon as the franchise partner is no longer making a profit, it will close.

“It’s used by the people of South Woodford every single day – it’s not a McDonalds, so it shouldn’t be treated like one.”

His Liberal Democrat colleague in Roding Cllr Gwyneth Deakin also expressed fears there is nowhere big enough nearby to accommodate a franchised Post Office.

The CWU is urging all residents to write to Post Office and Minister for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Margot James MP with their concerns.

A spokesman for Post Office repeated its previous claims, saying: "Our intention is for the same services to be provided from a new branch near to the current site with sufficient, dedicated space to provide good access and facilities for all our customers.

"So people can be reassured that there’s no plan to close branches – we want to keep the same services for people from a branch in South Woodford."