Axed post offices bid for top award as protest against closures (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

Axed post offices bid for top award as protest against closures

March 9, 2009 2:41 PM

David Howarth campaigning to save the post offices

Three Cambridge post offices, closed in a nationwide shake-up of services last year, have been nominated for a top award as a protest against the controversial decision.

The branches at Regent Street and Trumpington Street and the St. John's Post Office could win the Royal Mail's Best Post Office Award, even though they are no longer in business.

They were nominated as part of a campaign, launched by Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Willie Rennie and supported by Cambridge MP David Howarth, to celebrate the local post office and protest against the closures.

The competition aims to find the best post office "offering outstanding customer service" But three Common's motions - which named around 180 branches forced to close and expressed disbelief in the contest - urged MPs to deliberately sabotage it by nominating closed outlets.

Mr Howarth, who fought to save the three Cambridge post offices, added his signature.

He said: "Nominating the Cambridge post offices recognises the huge contribution that they made within the local community. But it also highlights the complete disregard that Post Office Ltd has shown to the people of Cambridge by robbing them of this vital public service.

"These closures could have been prevented. The government contributed to the creation of the financial difficulties facing post offices by taking away from them the payment of pensions and benefits.

"Post offices are the heart of local communities and vital to their survival. They provide services and a social meeting point for residents. The three in Cambridge were high volume post offices."