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'PO battle is not over'

Denise Evans
28/ 8/2008

A COUNCILLOR is spearheading a campaign to save a much-loved post office.

Councillor Malcolm Boriss has set up a petition after it was announced that Higher Tonge Post Office on Oldham Road faces the axe.

If the branch closed it would mean customers -many of them elderly and disabled - having to travel to the post office in Middleton town centre.

And Cllr Boriss said this could result in "chaos" as the town centre post office is already extremely busy with any extra customers facing lengthy queues.

"Pensioners, young mums with pushchairs - everyone uses the Higher Tonge Post Office and I am worried the pressure will be too much for the Middleton general branch in the town centre if they have to take all those extra customers," he said.

"This is my main concern as there is no room to open more counters to cope with the demand, so the queues will probably start going outside.

"Higher Tonge has great disabled access and for elderly people and it would be a huge loss if it does not manage to stay open."

He added: "The post office is at the centre of the community - people just can’t understand why the Post Office would want to close such a busy and popular branch and force them to travel well out of their way to an alternative one."

With the backing of the community and Higher Tonge’s postmaster, Cllr Boriss decided to launch a petition which he is encouraging everyone who uses the post office to sign.

Higher Tonge was placed on the closure shortlist following the announcement that the Spotland Road branch in Rochdale had been saved after a successful campaign.

A six week consultation period has now started regarding Higher Tonge and the petition, which has the backing of other coucillors, including MP Jim Dobbin, will be running throughout that time.

"We may have been put on the list after another post office was saved but we can take note of what they did right with their campaign to remain open and hope we can do the same," added Cllr Boriss.

"The petition will be available inside the post office and I hope everyone that uses it, signs it."