Campaigners against the closure of East Croydon Post Office were given fresh hope last week when Consignia boss Kevin Ray agreed publicly to meet them again to discuss options.

More than 100 residents, including customers, staff, politicians and union representatives, streamed into last Thursday's public meeting in Addiscombe Grove, to sound their belief to London area head, Mr Ray, and Croydon, Sutton, and Epsom area manager Alan Bayfield, that the move was "incredibly" ill thought out given East Croydon's continuing growth.

Before agreeing to take talks further with campaign supporters Councillor Gerry Ryan and Geraint Davies MP, Mr Ray had claimed the Crown office, one of two in the borough, was losing cash rapidly and contributing to the commercial plight facing the Post Office nationally.

He said: "With the Government's plans to pay all benefits and pensions through bank accounts we face losing an estimated 50 per cent of our business."

He added that the Addiscombe Road office has to be closed because it has progressively been losing cash - around £100,000 per year.

It would remain Consignia-run but would be used for admin.

He said the post office needed to build up commercial ventures at its other more commercially successful branches, including internet delivery services, bureau de change and personal banking, to prepare for the Government's switch in three years time.

But residents said they were more likely to use services at other banks which are nearer than the High Street sub post office suggested by Mr Ray as an alternative.

Croydon Central MP Mr Davies said: "To say that if you are elderly you can hop on a tram is not good enough.

"And the idea that a post office on one of the largest public transport interchanges in the country is not commercially viable is frankly incredible."

One resident said that if the crown facility had to go, the commercial sub-office option would be preferable to losing it altogether though Communication Workers' Union representatives claimed this was telling of the state of public services.

Another alternative would be to extend opening hours to earlier mornings, later evenings, and weekends.

Following the meeting Coun Ryan said: "At the next meeting we will be putting real pressure on them to think this through properly and look at the individual potential of the site independently from the national picture."

He said he thought there was a good chance Mr Ray would waver.

December 11, 2001 17:00