News

Folkestone could soon be without a Crown post office following the announcement of a list of closures by Post Office Managing Director, Alan Cook.

Mr Cook said that 70 Crown post offices, which includes Folkestone are to be "relocated" into nearby WH Smith branches.

Post Office staff threatened to strike after an announcement that scores of flagship post offices are to close.

The services of the 70 so-called Crown post offices will be transferred to WH Smith stores, but the Communication Workers Union said three thousand people could lose their jobs while customer service could also be affected.

Unlike the majority of post offices across the country, which are owned by small businessmen operating under licence, the Crown post offices are owned directly by Royal Mail. They are usually large and in prominent areas in cities and towns, and are seen as the network's flagship businesses.

Royal Mail said that, as well as the 70 offices transferred to WH Smith, it was seeking partners for a further 15 Crown offices, leaving it to run 373 Crown post offices.

"Our job is to provide the Post Office branches our customers want and use, and to do so in a sustainable way," said Alan Cook, the managing director of the Post Office.

A spokesman for Royal Mail denied that the WH Smith branches would offer inferior service to the Crown offices, saying that it had already done trials in several areas and that staff had performed well.

The announcement was also attacked by union Amicus, which represents WH Smith staff. Ann Field, a national officer said: "The company seems to be giving up on being an active retailer of newspapers and trying their hand at playing at Postman Pat. It's an appalling move.''

The Royal Mail spokesman said 1,300 staff were employed in the branches affected, disputing the CWU figure of 3,000. He said there would be opportunities for staff to be re-employed by WH Smith in the new branches, although some people are expected to take up alternative roles within Royal Mail Group or take voluntary redundancy.

Transferring would mean employees losing lucrative Civil Service-style benefits, such as a final salary pension scheme. WH Smith closed its final salary scheme in January.

Local Lib Dems have set up a campaign web site at www.saveourpostoffice.org.uk and are writing to people across Shepway to raise awareness of the proposals. Those signing the Lib Dem petition will have their views passed to the consultation and will be kept up to date with the latest news from the campaign to save Folkestone Post Office.