UPDATE: MP vows to oppose Shoreham and Lancing Post Office closures

The Post Office confirmed this morning that its branches in North Road, Lancing, and Brunswick Road, Shoreham, will be closed and relocated with retail partners.

Tim Loughton said in a tweet this afternoon: “The Post Office have apparently announced they intend to close Shoreham and Lancing crown post offices though they did not even have the courtesy to tell me.

“This is disastrous for Adur where we have lost so many sub-post offices over last few years and I will be opposing it.”

The two West Sussex branches are among 37 in the country that will be affected by the change.

Roger Gale, Sales and Trade Marketing Director for the Post Office, said this would be a ‘more sustainable approach for the long term’, adding that the ‘vast majority’ of their branches are run with partners.

“With consumer habits changing, and the high cost of maintaining premises in prime high street locations, franchising helps us to keep services where our customers want and need them,” said Mr Gale.

“We’re committed to maintaining the Post Office’s special place on the high street and the changes we are making underpin our continued commitment to give communities in every part of the country access to essential services.”

He said the Post Office would take time to identify the right partners over the coming months and that all proposals would be subject to local consultation.

The changes could potentially mean the loss of 300 staff, the Communication Worker’s Union said in a statement.

A total of 127 financial specialist roles while also be cut across the network, according to the union.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the union, said: “The latest round of closures is further evidence that the Post Office is in crisis and that the board of the company, backed by the government, is simply pursuing a strategy of slash and burn.”

He said the news, which comes less than three weeks after the closure of a government consultation on the future of the Post Office, ‘sticks two fingers up’ to everyone who took part in this.

CWU Deputy General Secretary Postal Terry Pullinger said, “The Post Office network has been reduced by more than 50 per cent over the past 30 years and continues to be run down.

“It requires a proper business plan for growth and investment which is being ignored.

“Its IT platform is being held together with sticky tape and it continues to outsource and close its outlets, yet they dress it up as a success and honour its directors.”

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