General Discussion
Holcombe – Post Office Closure
I am writing to protest the proposed closure of Hollandia sub post office. We are a typical English rural village, (a Pub, Church, Village Hall & Post office/shop). Your proposed closure would affect the very heart of this traditional environment. It would also endanger the viability of the only shop we have. For many residents who use the PO/Shop, it is a vital form of local contact – sometimes, the only contact they have with other people. A high percentage of these people will be totally isolated if they loose the P.O. Not only does the postmaster cater for the P.O side, he also provides a link to the community.
Holcombe is classed as a Retirement village, due to the fact that the majority of residents are over 60, many are 80 +. Some have no means of transport and we do not have any public transport service in the village. The nearest bus stop to myself being over 1/2mile walk on a very steep road.To others it is further. Closure of the P.O. Would cause severe hardship , both financially and physically, to the more vulnerable of our residents. A return taxi trip to Dawlish/Teignmouth is on average £11. Out of a basic state pension, this necessary journey would be a costly burden.
Other than this, some would have to rely on friends, relatives or volunteers to collect pensions/post letters etc. This in turn would lead to a heavier flow of traffic in and out of the village. The additional usage of cars travelling to Dawlish or Teignmouth, would add to the problems of the towns' parking and congestion, particularly during the holiday season. This would not seem to comply with our Environmentally Green policies. Our nearest proposed sub P.O, will be Ashley way in Teignmouth, which in itself is closer to both the bus route and Teignmouth main P.O. Branch than we are from either of our proposed 'local' P.O's.Ashley is 1.5 miles away (as the crow flies). They are only 440 yards from a bus route, but the people of Holcombe do not have a bus link to use. It was suggested (by a P.O. Watch representative) at the meeting in Holcombe on 28th may, that this was within walking distance?
I am a relatively fit under 60 yr old, and would not relish this trip over rough and hilly terrain, especially in our erratic climate. Ashley sub P.O. Is also not suitable for wheelchair use, having a step at the entrance. This is not a viable option to the people of Holcombe. The next nearest P.O. Is in the Strand at Dawlish. Although boasting wheelchair access status,it it hardly wheelchair friendly. The aisles having goods displayed on either side,it would take only one person to block this path for the whole P.O. queue to be held up. Parking spaces are at a premium, especially during the summer months. Traffic congestion would increase. Waiting times to be served, would increse due to the influx of customers from Holcombe. If the trip was made by bus, a lenghty walk, a possible delay in bus timetable, another walk (440yds) perhaps carrying a parcel, a queue and then the trek home.Or of course, we could walk the whole distance – assuming we are fit -. All other post offices in the vicinity have a reasonable public transport system avaiable to them,Holcombe does not. Closure of our branch would discriminate against the less mobile of our community.
Copy of letter sent in protest at closure of Holcombe Post Office
Recipients
POSTWATCH.
National Consultation Team, P.O.Ltd.
dawlish.com
I am afraid that this is yet another example of this governments intent on destroying our once great country. It has placed greedy buffoons in charge of the whole royal mail/post office network and we are all left with the consequences. There is not one jot that Royal Mail or Postcomm for that matter has done to benefit the customer. It says that it had a duty to open up the Royal Mail to competition. All that has happened is other mainly foreign companies has cherry picked the profitable parts of Royal Mails business and stands there supposedly dumbfounded when RMs profits have evaporated and their pension funds have reached crisis point. You notice that TNT and business post (to name but two) have shown little interest in carrying out a delivery service to towns let alone off the beaten track rural communities. They have deliberatly taken away revenue sources from the post offices (ie certain pension payments, TV licensing, etc) so as to then say that people are not using them anymore so they may as well be closed down. People were also quick to call for the heads of postmen and women when they go on strike, but maybe they could see what a state the company was being plunged into. Get a grip Gordon Brown and all the other two faced politicians and do some good for a change.
Why did the government take so much business
away from the Post Office i.e., t.v. license renewalPensions and benifits? It has been blatant sabotage
I thought that opening the Post Office up to competition was another EC ruling (which probably most of the rest of the EU will ignore as usual).
The disgusting thing is the bosses are getting paid millions for shutting the PO down !!
The MP to send your strongest comments to is
mcfaddenp@parliament.uk
Petitions will not work with the PO, they have already decided and a list of names means nothing to them. Once these POs are lost they will not come back and communities will lose not only their services, but the social network that is vital in a rural community.
I'd have thought you'd have been pleased, Bob. Replace the relic with something much more upmarket... isn't that how your posts usually go?
Shut the post office its never open anyway .
And if you live in Holcombe then get a taxis to Dawlish or Teignmouth .
Always moaning get on with your lives and if you want to crusade , why not do something usefull CRUSADE ABOUT BRITAIN being to soft !!!
You generation put the country in this mess , so crusade to get them out!!
Love it when old people complain , they never complained before when the government was privatising ,the back bone of the country.
They were makeing money to live in Holcome and collect the pension from the soonto be closed post ofice.
I have noticed that Humphrey Clemens who lives in Holcombe and is a Dawlish Town Councillor has raised his head above the parapet in support of all the moaners in Holcombe.
Further to my original posting,and in view of two of the replies received - -
There is a world of difference between a MOANER & A Protester.
Moan:-
Whinge, Whine,Gripe,Grumble.
Protest:-
Campaigne,Appeal,Argue,Stand against,Object to.
If you feel strongly enough about an issue,there is nothing wrong in trying to make a stand against it.
I abhor moaners, they will always whinge, but are highly unlikely to put there thoughts into actions, or even to put their names to paper.
There are many, like me who feel that the closure of Holcombe P.O. will be detrimental to all concerned.It may also have a negative knock on effect to the branches that remain open & consequently, the customers that use them.
HOORAY FOR CURSADER....someone talking some sense. people of Holcombe SHOULD get out more. There is a perfectly good bus service. Use it. If it IS the only shop in Holcombe surely you need to venture into town to get shopping etc? so, do your pensions at the same time! It's not rocket science. Things change. Get over it. i think from now on i'm going to be re-named Cursaders Fan. At least until i find someone else to aspire to....
Don't think anyone has actually READ the letter.Bus is great IF you can manage to walk the hill there and back.
I'm sorry, but if these people can't manage to walk to the bus stop and back they can't manage to walk to the PO and back. It's almost as if they are complaining for complainings sake. Once they are done with the PO debate and are getting the bus to Newton or Dawlish to get their pensions, they will find something else to complain about. And so it goes on...
With more and more property coming on stream in Dawlish, they could always sell up their pride in Holcombe and move a little closer.
I have been informed that there are over two hundred properties for sale in Dawlish alone and that does not include Holcombe.
So what is your problem Holcombeonians?
What do you want? A post office to stay open, that isn't making enough money for it to be viable, just for the sake of the few? I'm sure they have reasons to close it, not just to piss off the locals. I don't think these people make these decisions lightly.
you know nothing at all about PO's and how they operate do you? otherwise you wouldnt make such an uninformed comment. You also sound like a very uncaring person.
Decisions are taken by the Government who stopped TV licences being paid over the counter, changed to a card system to replace pension books, etc. and now want to withdraw that and the list of services withdrawn by them goes on and on. That's why they say they are uneconomic - the government has made them so. Royal Mail spent vast amounts of money on Consignia which was a failure, they give their bosses huge amounts in bonuses just to close offices down which is obscene. Where did they find this money from?
Rural offices are now paying the penalty of gross mispending by PO management and destruction of services by the government. It is not only pensioners living in rural areas, it is disabled, young people without a car.
You really don't appreciate what help is given free of charge to customers in rural areas by their local post office, and all this is going to be lost forever.
sorry, i don't know any young people in Holcombe without cars. If they can afford to choose to live in Holcombe then they can afford a taxi can't they?
Uncaring, sharon? i do care but only on things worth caring about. You're right, i wasn't as educated as you on the demise of the post office and quite frankly, that is because i didn't choose to study it to the length you obviously have. Things move on. As you said, you can do the things you used to do in the post office on-line. Isn't this easier for the people you say don't have cars or are disabled? These people aren't completely helpless. To lable them as that is patronising. I don't see the point getting all hett up about such matters. It's going to happen and you can't change it. As i said... Get over it.
you made some valid points. well done.
In view of fact that P.O. is set to close ANOTHER 4,000, I don't think Holcombe is going to be high on their list for keeping open.We have also heard that postal deliveries and pick ups will also be downgraded.
Oh well - we will have to do as some of the other people in the forum have suggested -
Move out from our ridiculously expensive houses, drive one of our super rich cars or go on the hi tech computor system that we must all have. I must be the exception to the rule.
Why oh why do people catagorise others according to where they live. Its uncalled for and bigoted.
I've studied it intensely because I have had first hand experience at running several PO's during the years so I know what it entails, I know what has caused its demise, I know there are lots of people in villages up and down the country that haven't got public transport, or are unable to use it, and unable to afford taxis. I also know there are lots claiming disability and benefits that shouldn't, (are you one?) I also know in every so called wealthy villages there are many young and old that struggle. I also know that many villagers need help completing legal forms either because they can't write, don't understand the forms or too upset because of events to fill them in.
This help is all given FREE by your village postmaster so don't you go knocking all this valuable time we and most other postmasters have given all these years. Let's hope you never need help! Because it won't be there for you!
I think you'll find most of the negative comments are from one sad idiot posting under different names. He likes to do it on numerous threads....Viaduct, Joeys fan and i think it was supposed to be Crusader (but the posters that thick he couldnt spell it correctly).
Anyway, your letters to Postwatch, Postcom and Royal Mail are i'm afraid a complete waste of time. Your M.P is also a waste because he voted for these closures and his party believes in privatisation.
The E.U forced the government to open up the market. Our Labour government decided to do this 2 years before the rest of Europe, France and Germany are still refusing to open up. This has allowed the rest of the world to cherry pick the best and most profitable work .
With the numerous contracts that the government has awarded to other companies(many foreign government owned) the post Office has no chance of survival.This has been a deliberate act by the Labour Party and would be continued by the Liberals and Tories.
The Postman knew that the company was being deliberately wrecked, which is why they went on strike.It had nothing to do with a payrise(most would have been happy with no rise at all) it was all about defending YOUR POSTAL SERVICE AND POST OFFICES.Unfortunately many of the general public fell for the LABOUR / TORY NEWSPAPERS propaganda and didnt support us.
Yes thats right us so called left wing ,Union ,rabble, dinosaurs (as the newspapers descibed us) actually despise Labour and were made up of Liberals,Tories,UKIP,Greens,BNP,Respect,Loony Party , SNP , PLAID CYMRU and yes a few Labour voters.
As for the hole in the Pension fund, this was caused by Labour and Tory governments creaming off the profits for 17 years running , without re-investing back into Royal Mail.
So what have you ended up with. Post Offices closing everywhere,40-50,000 redundances, postage prices rising by huge amounts to cover the competition creaming off the best contracts. Mail regularly delivered in the afternoon(sometimes not delivered at all due to lack of posties).
The future...no post at all(maybe once a week)as Dawlish is in the middle of nowhere(no money to be made). A pound a letter , similar to many across Europe and higher charges the furthur away you send it.
Yes thats it , good old competition, it will make things cheaper, just like Gas , Electric, Water, Railways, Buses...their so cheap arent they.
postie
Actually i can spell very well , And no i don`t use other ids .
But you did make a few valid comments, on your post .
But seeing as i wasnt old enough to vote when Thatcher came into power. Maybe it was your generation that let the privation of many back bone companies be sold off !
Dont throw stones if you live in a greenhouse!
Dont blame Thatcher on me , i was one of the 3 million thrown on the dole as i left school in the 80's. Tory /lib /Con are all the same,Trough feeders