Backing from businesses

The chairman and president of the town's chamber of commerce said shutting the branches would cause problems to a large number of residents.

"Post offices are a very emotive issue," stated Nick Stuart Nicolson. "Bognor has a lot of elderly residents. Many of them will not find it easy to go to the next post office up the line because it's too far."

Executive committee member Ian Harding added: "Post Office Ltd should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. If anybody should be got rid of, it should be the managers and not the post offices."

He urged anyone affected by the proposed closures '“ Station Road, Hawthorn Road, South Bersted, Aldwick and Craigweil '“ to contact Postwatch. The consumer champion can be reached by e-mail to [email protected] or by letter to Freepost Postwatch.