One post office saved, 37 to go

11:15am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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One Wimbledon post office has been saved from closure while the future of another in West Norwood is being reviewed.

The Post Office had planned to close the Kingston Road post office along with 169 others across London.

But a backlash from customers has led to the decision to keep the Wimbledon branch and six others open.

The Post Office said the high number of elderly people and businesses who relied on the branch, along with the hilly terrain and lack of direct buses to other branches led them to keep it open.

According to watchdog Postwatch, the company has also agreed to review its decision to close the Gipsy Road branch in West Norwood.

A poster has been put up in the window of the branch saying the closure decision is under review.

More than 3,000 people signed a petition calling for the branch to remain open.

Speaking last month, sub postmaster Niranjan Francis said his branch, which made profits of more than £50,000 last year, should not close, insisting it would have a devastating effect on the community.

He said many of his customers are elderly and would find it difficult reaching and parking at the branch closest to Gipsy Road, in Seeley Drive, Sydenham Hill. He also said the branch was a focal point for the community, which would disintegrate in its absence.

And despite being offered £110,000 in compensation for the closure of his branch, Mr Francis vowed then to sacrifice it to help his customers.

Postwatch greater London chairman Roger Darlington said: "All post office closures inevitably inconvenience customers but I am pleased with the news that seven proposed closures in London are to be withdrawn and that none of these will be the subject of substitute proposals.

"This reduces the impact of the closure programme in the capital a little and shows that Post Office Ltd has listened to customers and Postwatch during the consultation exercise."

Following six weeks of consultation, Post Office Ltd has announced at least 155 of the 169 branches on the closure list will shut from next month.

The Post Office is also looking at ways of dealing with growing demand at its Croydon High Street branch created by closing other branches.

The branches to close are:

• Abbeville Road, Clapham,
• Balham High Road, Balham,
• Battersea Park Road, Battersea,
• Bensham Lane, Thornton Heath,
• Bishopsford Road, Morden,
• Broad Street, Teddington,
• Burlington Road, New Malden,
• Cambridge Parade, Twickenham,
• Carshalton Road, Carshalton,
• Central Hill, Norwood,
• Chestnut Grove, Richmond Road, Kingston,
• Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon,
• Chiswick High Road, Chiswick,
• Clapham High Street, Clapham,
• Coombe Lane, Wimbledon,
• Gander Green Lane, Sutton,
• Garratt Lane, Wandsworth,
• Green Lane, Morden,
• High Street, Croydon,
• Hook Rise, Surbiton,
• Lower Richmond Road, Putney,
• Mitcham Junction, Seymour Road, Mitcham,
• Mitcham Lane, Mitcham,
• Norbiton Common, Kingston Road, New Malden,
• Old Isleworth, South Street, Isleworth,
• Park Avenue, Whitton Road, Hounslow,
• Plough Green, Malden Road, Worcester Park,
• Putney Bridge Road, Putney,
• Selhurst Road, South Norwood,
• Hermitage Lane, South Streatham,
• Surbiton Park, Surbiton Road, Kingston
• The Common, Staines Road, Twickenham,
• The Parade, Mitcham Road, Croydon,
• Trinity Road, Wandsworth,
• Wimbledon High Street, Wimbledon Village,
• Woodside Parade, Leopold Road, Wimbledon,
• Wrythe Lane, Carshalton.