Nicholas Soames, MP for Mid Sussex, visited today four Post Offices in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath.

Commenting on his visits Nicholas said; “Each of the Post Offices that I visited pays an irreplaceable part in the community in which they operate. It is obvious that they are much more than Post Offices; they run effective “social services” particularly for the elderly and the disabled and they provide advice and help of a very high order. Not surprisingly each of the Post Offices that I visited command tremendous loyalty and affection for the very necessary services they provide. For example, many Carers do the shopping for elderly people and they would find it difficult to get to a Town Centre Post Office.”

Mr Soames said; “In America Lane and Franklands village in Haywards Heath and in Lower Church Road and London Road in Burgess Hill, these Post Offices are a vital part of the social architecture of a civil society. It would be absolutely wrong to close them and my evidence to the Post Office on their behalf will reflect these views.”

Concluding Mr Soames said; “These decisions by the Post Office appear to have been taken without any regard to the consequences for the communities affected. I intend to make sure that that is not allowed.”

Throughout his visit Mr Soames was accompanied by District Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards and he met other Councillors; Jacqui Landriani and Pru Moore in Burgess Hill and Garry Wall and Clive Chapman in Haywards Heath.

Nicholas Soames said; “I shall be reporting my conclusions of the meetings to County Councillor John de Mierre who is playing a vital role in the campaign that the County Council are running to help us all save our Post Offices.”

-ends-

Notes:

Details on the Post Office’s Area Plan Proposal for Sussex may be accessed via the following link:

http://www.postoffice.co.uk

The consultation ends on the 24th December 2007

National Consultation Team

Post Office Ltd

FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM (no stamp is required)

Email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk
Telephone: 08457 22 33 44 08457 22 33 44