Campaigners fighting prosed plans to relocate a community post office have been backed by their local MP.

Walthamstow Central Post Office in the high street is set to be moved to Foster’s Super Market off-licence in Hoe Street to be run as a franchise.

Residents who use the crown post office regularly staged a protest outside it on Thursday August 10.

They argued that plans are being rushed through without many people knowing and called on the Post Office to halt the move.

A representative from Post Office Ltd attended a meeting on Thursday to address residents’ concerns which will be fed into the consultation which closes on August 16.

Parvaiz Iqbal, 70, of Walthamstow said: “Hoe Street is just too busy for this.

“The new office would be close to McDonalds and it is near the station.

“It is not safe especially when people will have to queue outside on the narrow footpath.”

Iqbal Najib, 72, added: “It is not easy for old people to stand in a queue in the winter. At least here the post office is next to the library so they can wait in there.

“It will not be good for ladies with young children and babies either if they have buggies.

“There will not be enough room for them.”

The proposed relocation is part of the plans announced by Post Office Ltd in January to move 37 Crown offices across the UK.

Chris Osborne, a member of the Communication Workers’ Union which opposes the plans, said: “The Post Office has kept this really quiet and the people have a right to know what is happening. Many people I meet don’t know about it.

“The consultation itself is meaningless because the decision has already been made.”

MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy accused the Post Office of conducting a “shoddy” consultation in the middle of summer when a lot of people are on holidays.

She said she had been contacted by disabled and elderly constituents expressing their worries about the proposed new location.

She said: “I want the Post Office to stop and rethink their decision.

“I understand that times are tough and they need a partner so I have been trying to get them to talk to the Credit Union to team up with them.”

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said: “Given, the challenging commercial environment we face, we can’t afford to stand still and it is important that these changes continue and are not delayed.

“Therefore we continue to communicate any changes to customers and local elected representatives over the summer holiday period.

“The proposed location is a convenience store, which would be refurbished and merge with the unit next door providing additional space.

“The opening hours will be much longer so should help to avoid issues regarding queuing.”