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Council Leader Michael Jones and Crawley MP Peter Lamb joined councillors and Furnace Green residents on Furnace Green Parade to call on the Post Office to finally re-install a service on the Parade.

Furnace Green is home to over 6,000 residents who rely on easy access to postal services and since the closure of the branch in 2022, there has been a reduction in footfall to the parade which, in turn, has had a negative impact on local residents and businesses.

In November 2023, the council were informed that the restoration of the post office branch on Tilgate parade (an adjacent neighbourhood) meant that any review of demand data for a post office in Furnace Green would have to wait for at least 12 months, on the basis that a newly opened branch needs up to a year to establish itself, but that the Post Office would be happy to revisit the data in 12 months’ time.

Previously, the post office at Furnace Green was located within the McColl’s store on the parade. This property is now operating as a Budgens and the shop’s owners are fully supportive of the need to reinstate a complete, local post office service here, going forward.

Local Furnace Green resident David Hanson joined council leader Michael Jones, Crawley MP Peter Lamb and councillors to call for the Post Office to restore a post office service on the parade

Cllr Jones has formally written to the Post Office this week asking for their support in reconsidering the decision to close the post office branch on Furnace Green parade in June 2022:

In his letter, he wrote: “Crawley Borough Council, as both landlord of the neighbourhood parade and as a local authority, is keen to see the Post Office reinstated on the parade for the benefit of the community including the businesses who trade from there.

“In November 2023, we were informed that the restoration of the post office branch on Tilgate parade meant that any review of demand for a post office in Furnace Green would have to wait for at least 12 months, on the basis that a newly opened branch needs up to a year to establish itself… I am therefore writing to you now, to ask for that review to be undertaken and urgent consideration given to reinstating a post office provision in Furnace Green.

“Any assistance you can provide in moving this matter forward would be gratefully appreciated in demonstrating a positive response to the needs of our local community.”

Mr Lamb added: "Frankly, local residents in this neighbourhood have waited too long for the return of a basic Post Office counter service. I give my full support to its return and hope this call to action produces a quick reaction from those concerned at the Post Office for the sake of my constituents living here."

MP and Crawley councillors call for action on Furnace Green Post Office