Village community set to fight for their post office

Portessie - latest village post office to come under threat.
Portessie – latest village post office to come under threat.

A CAMPAIGN HAS LAUNCHED in a Moray village that fears they are to become the latest victim in the Post Office’s reorganisation plans.

Portessie looks set to be the latest small community to lose their Post Office – but some customers are determined to do all they can to retain what they insist is a vital local service.

Throughout the UK the tradition post office branches have been closing or moving as attempts are made to re-invent the Post Office. Several Moray communities have seen their branches move or become part of existing general store businesses – while others have been lost completely.

Now after being informed by staff at Portessie that theirs was the latest to fall to the reorganisation plans, local man Ross Ingram has launched a petition that he hopes will receive enough support to force a rethink.

Mr Ingram said: “I was disappointed to learn from a member of staff at our local post office that plans were in place to withdraw the service.

“After speaking with others in the area it was clearly felt that we should try and do something to halt this – we realise, of course, that ours is not the only community being hit by these changes, but surely the Post Office has to realise the devastating effect closing a village post office can have?

“For young, fit and healthy people it is perhaps just an inconvenience to travel a little further for the services offered at their post office – but for the elderly and less able this is a devastating blow.”

Mr Ingram has launched an online petition and is urging people to sign that to show the strength of feeling in the village.