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WALTHAMSTOW: Two post offices to be axed
12:34pm Tuesday 24th June 2008
Comments (11)TWO Walthamstow post offices will be axed after all, it has been announced.
Post Office Ltd revealed last month that it would be rethinking its decision to close the branches in Forest Road, Chingford Road and Orford Road, bringing hope to those opposed to the closures.
But the company today has stated it will be closing the Chingford Road and Orford Road branches. The Forest Road post office will remain.
Post Office Ltd said that taking into account the other closures "it would not be able to offer customers reasonable access to its services" if it closed Forest Road as well.
Joanne Rogers, 58, of Flamer Road, has campaigned to save the Forest Road branch with her 88-year-old mother Gladys Gloyn.
She said: "I'm delighted that Forest Road has been saved because they listened to our concerns.
"But it is tinged with sadness because we would have liked all of the branches to stay open."
Post Office Ltd acknowledged the concerns about the Orford Road branch closure, including the impact on elderly residents and the potential for longer queues at branches, but said there are two branches within three quarters of mile of each other.
It also said there would be six branches within a mile radius of the Chingford Road branch.
Michael Smith has been instrumental in campaigning to save the Orford Road branch.
He said: "You cannot expect elderly people to walk three-quarters of a mile to other post offices.
"They have not thought this through at all, Orford Road is a very successful, economical post office."
The decision to axe the two Walthamstow branches follows last month's announcement that three other Waltham Forest branches, in Leyton High Road, Hall Lane, Chingford, and Grove Green Road, Leytonstone, would all be axed.
Post Office Ltd was ordered by the Government to draw up a list of about 2,500 branches nationwide to be closed, due to rising losses and a drop in demand.
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technomist, walthamstow says...
1:34pm Tue 24 Jun 08
Its a pity for them and the people on Chingford Road, but at least people in Forest Road, who really do need their Post Office, have had a reprieve. Good news.
There is also still the Post Office at the top of the High Street, if the rampant crime in the Town Square doesn't put people off too much from using it.
The Post Office at the St James's Street end of the High Street continues to offer a popular and friendly service, as ever, so I mustn't moan.
Alice Danwell, Walthamstow says...
5:39pm Tue 24 Jun 08
Susan T., Walthamstow says...
6:10pm Tue 24 Jun 08
The stupid decision to axe this post office is one of the thousands of tiny reasons why Gordon Brown will get the boot at the next election. The money saved is risible compared to the billions which are being lavished on new nuclear submarines.
I think there is a good chance that Labour will even lose Walthamstow, now that a good local MP has been replaced with a candidate who is a New Labour clone and party loyalist.
Stop The Eurostate, E17 says...
10:20pm Tue 24 Jun 08
Yes the spineless Labour Government has ordered Post Office Ltd to close up to 2500 local branch post offices but what no-one seems to know, or wants to talk about, is the reason why.
It is very simple; the closures are entirely and only because of a directive from the Europeam Commission in Brussels, that is from the EU. So the next time you think or say that the EU doesn't really affect you or that discussions about the immense loss of our powers to govern ourselves, such as the loss enshrined in the Lisbon treaty, are boring or don't really mean anything, think again!
We have lost our post offices only because of EU diktat and there is a lot more of the same to come unless we stop the unwanted Euro Federalist Superstate in its tracks right now and reclaim the power to run our own country from unelected and unaccountable Brussels technocrats.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
Harry, Not in Enfield says...
11:06pm Tue 24 Jun 08
Susan T. wrote:Do the people in the Village really care about the elderly? How many of them know the names of their elderly neighbours, visit them or ever invite them in to their homes?
The Orford Road post office is enormously popular with local residents, partioularly the large elderly population. The Village has literally hundreds of homes with SAVE ORFORD ROAD POST OFFICE signs in the window. There was also an enormous petition.
The stupid decision to axe this post office is one of the thousands of tiny reasons why Gordon Brown will get the boot at the next election. The money saved is risible compared to the billions which are being lavished on new nuclear submarines.
I think there is a good chance that Labour will even lose Walthamstow, now that a good local MP has been replaced with a candidate who is a New Labour clone and party loyalist.
As for not voting Labour next time - more fool them for voting Labour in the first place.
Steel Eye, Leyton Village says...
6:53am Wed 25 Jun 08
Anyway, what village are you all on about? I've never heard of an Orford Road village.
Arthur C. Marx, Walthamgrad says...
10:16am Wed 25 Jun 08
Steel Eye wrote:Its something that the urban middle class wannabe Islingtonites who bought houses there were told about by their estate agents. It doesn't really exist, in terms of being a proper village, but loosely, there are a few tatty shops and over-priced caravansaries, a church few people go to and some alleys that muggers can run down. This, a natural middle class pushiness to get as many public services as they can accessible for themselves at everyone else's expense and a sense of being surrounded by the proletariat they read about at university, seem to be what make up the life and culture of the area which likes to be known as 'Walthamstow Village'.
I myself don't like the loss of any post office counters, but in this day and age, if they can't pay their way, then unfortunately, if the Government is removing business from PO Ltd, ie pensions, child benefits, TV licencing, etc. etc., then as a commercially viable company, they have no choice but cutting their costs.
Anyway, what village are you all on about? I've never heard of an Orford Road village.
Walthamster, E17 says...
1:08pm Wed 25 Jun 08
Alice Danwell wrote:I'm not an old lady, so I'm presumably a low life in Alice Danwell's eyes!
These are redundant and only old ladies and low life use them these days. Have these people never heard of the internet?
But may I ask how she recommends sending parcels via the Internet? And why I should not support local businesses? And indeed what she's got against old ladies?
Susan T., Walthamstow says...
7:01pm Wed 25 Jun 08
The Village is a distinct area with four very good restaurants and two very popular pubs. It doesn't sound as if the collection of reactionaries and New Labour realists who comment here know much about Walthamstow. The Orford Road post office will be much missed by the locals, and it is an absurdity to suggest that people should trudge to the main Walthamstow PO, where you can wait 35 minutes to be served, or Wood Street, which also has long queues. And for old people these are far more inconvenient places to trudge to.
Chingford United Netball Team, E4 says...
8:25am Thu 26 Jun 08
Susan T. wrote:I use franking machines for letters, however large parcels sent around the world I take to the Post Office.
Why on earth a business user takes 25 parcels to a post office is a mystery. Functioning businesses use franking machines. The Village is a distinct area with four very good restaurants and two very popular pubs. It doesn't sound as if the collection of reactionaries and New Labour realists who comment here know much about Walthamstow. The Orford Road post office will be much missed by the locals, and it is an absurdity to suggest that people should trudge to the main Walthamstow PO, where you can wait 35 minutes to be served, or Wood Street, which also has long queues. And for old people these are far more inconvenient places to trudge to.
I tried using Orford Road because it was local and due to permit parking was able to park close by.
Think before you type, you are obviously one of the people who used to moan behind me in the queue. However now the Post Office is gone you will have to spend even longer walking to another.
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Chingford United Netball Team, E4 says...
1:06pm Tue 24 Jun 08
So instead of going there 3 or 4 times a week I went elsewhere.
I wonder how many other Business users were also turned away? Maybe if he had welcomed my business and the other customers in the queue waiting for a second class stamp then maybe, just maybe Orford Road would not be closing.