MPs Anger Over Failure To Reopen Kew Post Office

1.29.20pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 29th Mar 2004

Susan Kramer talking to a resident outside a Post Office

After the closure of the Sandycombe Road Post Office in Kew last year, Jenny Tonge MP, and local Lib Dem Kew Councillor Jane Arneil collected hundreds of signatures from local residents demanding that it should be reopened. Despite the huge public backing for the campaign, the Post Office Ltd has still failed to reopen the branch.

Dr Jenny Tonge MP said; "I have repeatedly tried to contact the Retail Manager of the Post Office Ltd, and Drew McBride, the Head of Area but both have consistently failed to return my calls. When a spokesman finally bothered to call my office last week, I was appalled to hear that he told a member of my staff it could take up to a year to reopen the branch."

"When I started my campaign to reopen the Post Office, I was hoping that it would open its doors by Christmas 2003. The notion that it could still be closed by Christmas 2004 is nothing short of an insult to local people in Kew."

Susan Kramer, Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Richmond Park added; "Local residents are fed up with flannelling. On Monday (29th March), I emailed Andy Bayfield, Area Development Manager of Post Office Ltd, to demand that senior management start taking this issue seriously, given that local Post Office management have completely failed to resolve a relatively straight forward issue. The current situation is totally unacceptable. I will continue to campaign with Jenny Tonge MP to get the Sandycombe Road Post Office reopened."

Notes:

Members of the public wishing to protest against the closure should write to Drew McBride, Head of Area of the Post Office Ltd:

Drew McBride

Head of Area

Post Office Ltd

Emptor House

12 Tannery Road

Tonbridge

Kent TN9 1RF