"We try to help everybody"

Here, in the final section of my three-part interview with Colin, he talks about the Post Office's lack of feedback and their arguments for closing his premises down; the number of small businesses that benefit from his office and also the possibility of a bus trip to Westminster which will give Llantrisant people the opportunity of meeting and expressing their views about closure to Kim Howells MP.

Do you think that the people who will be taking the ultimate decision are listening to what has been said, reading all the letters that have been written?

Well, we've had no feedback from them (the Post Office) whatsoever. A lot of letters have gone in which I haven't seen copies of as well.

I've been told they will publish the results on the Web when the final decisions are made and that they will quote the number of responses they've physically had on there too.

How do you feel about the fact that there's been no feedback from the Post Office?

I can understand, to a point, why they're keeping themselves to themselves. Obviously, in an open Government, we would like some sort of feedback, but I think they're keeping things tight to their chest so they can make their own decision.

I should add at this point that we've had very good support from Postwatch, in particular Sally Thomas. Although they're an independent body that can't have any final say in the Post Office's decison, they can make sure that any letters that have gone in have been looked at. They have a sway in what the Post Office can do but it's the Post Office that will have the very final decision.

What do you think of the Post Office's arguments for closing offices like yours down?

I've been told that I haven't a problem with footfall so I must class myself as being viable. All post offices across the UK have seen a downturn in people numbers visiting purely because of the way times have changed and the Government have taken more and more work from us.

However, the Post Office, in fairness, have teamed up with the Bank of Ireland and are pushing more and more products on us but whether these products are the right ones, well, they're not counter-based, they're call centre-based.

Having said that they have made big in-roads into things like car and life insurance.

How many people use your post office?

On average, about 500 a week.

Worse-case scenario, they close the post office down - what will the affect be on you and your wife, Lynne?

Since I took voluntary redundancy from my previous job (an Officer in the Merchant Navy) we've always fancied running a post office, we've been here 15-and-a-half years now.

I've always enjoyed dealing with people. We see lots of problems we try to sort out - for example people will come to me and ask for forms, or how to fill them in. A lot of that would go if the post office closes because people won't know who to ask, a sense of trust built up over the years will be lost.

Trust in the community is very important isn't it?

Yes, because over the years we see the youngsters coming through. They're originally brought in with their parents and we see them grow up. Even when they go away and get married or find a new job, they still come back and it's nice to see how they get on.

Parents feel safe about letting their children come up here to do an errand. There's no way parents will let their kids wander down that busy road to Penygawsi or Talbot Green to get an electric token, buy a stamp or pay a bill for them. Here you have a relatively safe environment within the town that they can all access.

What will you do if, worse case scenario, the post office is forced to close?

At present we haven't given it any thought. If it does go there will be a redundancy package and sufficient work for the four weeks it will take to close it down. The shop itself will go too if the post office closes so that will be a double whammy for the town.

I think that a couple of months down the line we'd have to sit down and think: 'What do we do?'

What would be the knock-on effect of the post office shop closing?

Well we do sell a lot of things for local firms. We've just finished selling the local Llantrisant honey which is limited supply at Christmas. We sell cider for Gwynt-y-ddraig, which is a Church Village-based cider, in fact we've had people come all the way from Porthcawl to buy it, we sell a lot of their three best ciders at Christmas.

We're also agents for Genie computers, we do cartridge top-ups, usually back on the same day. We're an agent for Edwards coaches as well so there's lots of other little things that we're all interconnected with.

In addition we sell handmade greetings cards, Dean Powell's books on local history, too. One gentleman across the road put the whole of the Llantrisant festivals on DVDs and we've been selling those for him so we support as many local and small businesses as we can.

We're local, community-based and we try and help everybody.

What can the people of Llantrisant do between now and January 8th or 14th?

People can still support me by using me. There is also the possibility of a January trip to London to see Kim Howells at Westminster and maybe deposit something at Downing Street if security permits.

The other main thing to consider is, if we do win, to make sure that the people who have used me continue to do so. If they suddenly didn't then I could go naturally.

Word of warning

The following first appeared as a comment on Leanne Wood's excellent blog (see links).

It's written by Phil (A Very Public Sociologist) who runs one of the most thorough and impressive blogs I've seen. His words are a stark reminder of what we could lose and who would suffer most if our post office was taken from us.

"Here in Stoke we've recently lost our city post office. It's gone from where it's been for a century to be stuck in the back of a pokey WH Smiths. It's now difficult for pensioners, disabled people, and anyone with children to get to.

"Even from a commercial standpoint, the move made no sense, as its primary users can no longer access it! The idiocy of the decision is breathtaking, but understandable when you consider it's part of a national deal with WH Smith to move a shed load of post office's into their stores, regardless of local conditions and consequences.

"All the very best with the campaigns."

Thanks very much for letting me use these comments, Phil.

For more information on Phil's site, please refer to the links section.

Colin praises townfolk's support

Colin deliberately reversed the sign in the above picture from open to closed - a good motivating tactic for us all so keep on writing and striving to save our post office!

Here, in the second section of my three-part interview with Colin, he talks about the support he has received from his customers, the December public meeting, the looming date of decision and also how the efforts of Llantrisant's campaigning citizens compares to those of people in other areas facing post office closures.

How have your customers supported you since the proposed closure announcement was made?

The support has been 150%. I can't fault people for writing letters. I can't fault the politicians and the Assembly members across all parties, everyone has got behind it.

For example our local councillor, Glynne Holmes, is a Labour elected member but as he says it's Westminster who made the decision to close the post offices and so it's against his own party that he's fighting.

Have you drawn some consolation from fellow Post Masters?

When we had the petitions going, Cross Inn and Talbot Green post offices, both of which have been proposed as alternatives to this office should it close, had petitions on my behalf. They collected somewhere in the region of 200 signatures each.

And Phil Dewhurst, who ran this post office before me, he wrote a nice piece in The District Diary magazine (see blog entry "A great asset to the village").

What has happened since the public meeting?

Since then we've asked people to write more and more letters and said that even if they've written once, to write again.

Allan Matheson, from the community council, and for want of a better expression my Campaign Manager (he's done a lot of the legwork for me while I've been behind the counter) he took minutes at the public meeting and I had enough copies to hand out to people the very next day.

He highlighted the main points raised in the meeting plus what people should be putting in their letters. As a result letters have gone out to a wide spectrum of interested bodies, not just the Post Office.

Some have had replies although those that have sent letters to the Post Office will, according to some literature I've read, receive replies after the consultation phase, which ended on December 10th.

How many people, overall, have signed a petition relating to the saving of Llantrisant Post Office?

The petition that was submitted had nearly 1,600 signatures.

When will the final decision be made?

Originally it was going to be January 8th, 2008, but I've been told that that might may be put back to January 14th now.

Will there be a chance of appeal if they decide to close the office?

No, once they've made their decison, from what I can gather, there is a four week period to close down the office.

Are you optimistic that Llantrisant Post Office will be reprieved?

Having seen the letters that went in and everybody's enthusiasm and support I'm fairly confident that we'll be saved.

Are other post offices on the closure list getting the same kind of support that's been displayed in Llantrisant?

Of the 31 offices in the Glamorgan and Cardiff area that are under the threat of closure there's only two or three that have actively had a major campaign. Of the others we get the impression that they've made a token gesture, it's almost as if they've said: 'We'll take the money and go' because there is a redundancy package available.

The final part of the interview with Colin will be uploaded on Monday.

Poster download (2)

Something bright for you to put on your window. To download, right click on the image, choose save picture as, save to your computer.

"A great asset to the village"

The following (see below) is a fine tribute to Colin.

It's an extract taken from this month's edition of The District Diary, written by the previous incumbent at Swan Street post office, the columnist known as Phil the Post.

"I was sorry to see my old Post Office, Swan Street, Llantrisant, named as one of those on the closure list," writes Phil.

"The current owner, Colin Cranness, is an excellent Post Master. He's the man I contact when I need to know anything about Post Office procedure, Colin is the man who can!

"He's also a great asset to the village and is often featured in the local press for his work with neighbourhood watch. He collects vouchers for the local schools, too.

"There's a huge campaign in the area to keep Llantrisant Post Office open and I hope it's successful. Colin is a very helpful person."

I'll drink to that!

Dave, from the Llantrisant-based Real Ale Tasting Society (R.A.T.S.), has kindly given his backing to this site by putting a link to Save Llantrisant Post Office on his website.

Why not give Dave's excellent site a look? You'll find his website listed amongst the links on the left of this entry.

Thanks again, Dave, the more supporters we get the better!

Closure would "rip the heart out of the town."

Today I conducted the first of an extensive three-part interview with Colin, the Post Master. Here, in part one, he talks about those who will be hit by the proposed closure; the crucial role the post office plays in terms of community spirit; the town's regeneration plan and also the gains non-locals get from the Swan Street premises.

If your post office closes down who will suffer?

Basically it will be the people of Llantrisant and the businesses because they will have to start planning their 'assault' on other offices.

How many businesses are there in Llantrisant?

There are approximately 30 although that doesn't include the ones on the business park - I have three regular customers there (Buy As You View, All Print and Malpas).

So closure would impact on small business up here in the town because in one way or another they use me for banking, posting, postage and bills.

There's a large elderly population in Llantrisant too. How will they be affected by a possible closure?

A lot of them have said they'd have to have their money paid directly into a bank account, which they don't want because although they have bank accounts, they use their pension money separately, it's purely for their everyday cash.

The post office is the only access they have to getting cash without having to go down to the banks in Talbot Green. There's no longer a cash machine up here - the one we did have, at the Bear Inn, was taken out two months ago.

Then there's the Hill Factor.

Yes, the hill factor! Closure would mean a lot of old people would have to get the bus but even when they get off the bus the options are, if they go to Penygawsi Post Office, are difficult. They've still got to firstly descend, then ascend, quite a steep hill

They've then got to cross a road which, at the best of times, is not the easiest. As one of my customers, a relatively young woman put it, you've got to be an Olympic athlete to cross it because traffic comes at you in three directions - and one of them is a blind spot! You just don't know what's round the corner.

Are the buses frequent?

Up through Llantrisant town itself we have three a day. The last bus through is approximately 12.50pm. After that if you haven't got out of town, so to speak, then you've literally got to walk either by the parish office, where there's a bus stop, or the Wheat Sheaf, assuming you want to go down to Talbot Green.

There are more buses going that way on the Pontyrpidd route but there are only three buses a day which come up through the site. However, they don't do the whole site because of traffic congestion on the common road. So there is still an area of Llantrisant which is isolated and that isolation is Hafod Housing Association houses and the old age complex - the very ones that need a public service.

What about the impact closure would have on the prestige and community spirit of Llantrisant?

I think everybody knows that a post office isn't just a post office anymore, it's a community centre as well. People come in and they meet others.

Even if someone is missing for a week someone will ask: 'Has anybody seen them?'

For example, at one time a customer wasn't seen for a couple of weeks so we sent the Police 'round to his house. Fortunately he was OK on that occasion, but the fact that he was an elderly gentleman on his own, with no-one visiting...it's things like that which matter. People meet others here in Swan Street that they might not see any other time.

What about you, what was your reaction when you heard that the Post Office had earmarked your shop for closure?

I was shocked and I don't think it's really sunk in yet. I don't think it will sink in until the final decison has been made. Heaven forbid it doesn't close but if it does I think it will be the equivalent of ripping the heart out of the town. Everywhere has got a heart somewhere along the line and for that to go...

There is a major regeneration of the town going ahead, we've seen that with the start to the castle - that's been cleared ready for a major archaeological dig. And Rhondda Cynon Taf are putting money into the town so it would be a shame for this office to go.

It's not just locals who benefit from your post office is it?

No, the amount of tourists that come up here in the summer months, in particular, is a lot. If they buy cards or presents they want someone to post them back to and they like to post them through the places that they've been to.

The ripples that emanate from your post office are incredible aren't they?

Yes, it's not only tourists. Being an old, ancient hilltop town we also get used a lot by the BBC for filming. We still regularly appear in Pobol y Cwm. This post office has been used for filming on several occasions.

Part 2 will be uploaded tomorrow.

Blog Cymru inclusion

Today I arranged an interview with Colin, the Post Master, which will take place tomorrow. I also spoke to a local businessman who has promised to make a written contribution expressing his view on the affect the proposed closure will have on his work.

I'm also hoping for another of the town's leading lights to respond to a request I made today, for a written piece, very soon.

On a different note I am happy to say that this website has been added to the Blog Cymru (see links) index. This means that every entry has the chance of being read by a much wider audience including AMs, MPs and people passionate about maintaining strong communities across Wales.

This is an extra incentive for you to be heard so make the most of it - let your fingers do the talking and get in touch! A big thank you to Blog Cymru's Aran Jones for permitting Save Llantrisant Post Office's inclusion.

Out of respect for Aran's kindness, if you have some spare time please take a look at these highly recommended websites (see below), both of which he is involved with and both of which complement the work here.

Cymuned - working for communities in Wales - www.cymuned.net/english and www.shops4locals.com.

Please log in again soon.

News update (+ letter sent by Jane Davidson to Steve Geraty)

Jane Davidson, Labour Assembly Member for Pontypridd, e-mailed me last night. She has kindly agreed to send me copies of all the letters she has and will write on the bid to save our post office.

The following letter was sent by Jane, to Steve Geraty, Network Development Manager, on November 28th, 2007. Many thanks to Gareth Mantle who kindly sent me a copy of this letter on January 2nd 2008

Dear Mr Geraty

RE: PROPOSED CLOSURE OF LLANTRISANT POST OFFICE

I am making representations on behalf of my constituents regarding the closure of one of the seven branches that are proposed for closure in the Pontypridd constituency.

For information, I have recently contacted all seven of the affected branches asking for evidence for their remaining open and will write to you again as soon as I receive their responses.

In the meantime I have received much correspondence from concerned constituents regarding the closure of one of the seven branches in particular. I will therefore proceed to make representations on behalf of these constituents and, in doing so, argue the case for the defence of Llantrisant Post Office. I begin with a brief background of the branch.

Llantrisant Post Office has been an important social service in the community since 1840 and in a meeting that I attended on Monday November 26th, which over 100 residents attended, I was informed of the continued popularity and use of the branch. Specifically, the branch attracts over 500 people a week and plays a major commercial role to the local art and craft businesses in an historic town.

Indeed, my constituents feel that the importance of the branch to the town has been understated and that its high usage may not have been taken into consideration when determining whether the branch should remain open. I would therefore be extremely grateful if you could confirm that the fact that Llantrisant Post Office attracts 500 users a week through its doors has indeed been noted and that it will be taken into consideration in the future.

In further developing the case for Llantrisant Post Office to remain open, I draw your attention to the first paragraph of the second page of a letter that I recently received from Eifion Pritchard, Chairman of Postwatch Wales, in which I am informed that ‘pertinent topographical features […] had been properly considered’. I argue that this has not necessarily been the case regarding the decision to close Llantrisant Post Office, as suggested by the numerous letters that have been sent to my office from concerned constituents.

My constituents inform me that although the two nearest alternative Post Office branches may appear relatively convenient on paper they are in fact most inconvenient. This is largely because of the topography of the area: the hill leading down from Llantrisant is very steep and difficult for Post Office customers, many of whom are elderly and/or disabled. Such problems of access may force some of my constituents to withdraw completely from the services of the Post Office.

In addition to the above topographical concerns, problems will remain for those fortunate enough to avoid the steep hill either by using public transport or by driving.

Regarding the use of public transport, I understand that the limitation of the current bus service does little to alleviate problems of access. There are infrequent busses to and from the proposed alternative Post Office branches and, in cases where the use of public transport may be a viable option (such as with the number 100 bus service), my constituents inform me that there is a very long walk to the corresponding bus stop.

Regarding the possibility of driving, my constituents believe that the already extremely heavy traffic of Talbot Green will be exacerbated with the closure of Llantrisant Post Office thereby undermining current levels of road safety as well as unnecessarily harming the environment. This also poses the question of the suitability of current parking facilities, which my constituents believe to be inadequate.

Indeed, there is no dedicated disabled parking facility at the Southgate Post Office and there will likely be no parking available, disabled or other, at the Talbot Green branch due to the already heavy traffic of the area. I therefore request that the viability of using the proposed alternative branches is reconsidered with respect to the availability of parking for the Southgate and Talbot Green Post Offices.

To these lines of reasoning I add the following, again making reference to the aforementioned letter from Eifion Pritchard, which claimed that the ‘impact of the local economy […] had been properly considered’. Again, I argue that this has not necessarily been the case regarding the decision to close Llantrisant Post Office due to the major commercial standing that the branch has within the locality.

My constituents inform me that with no bank or ATM machine in the locality and with no nearby shops offering a cashback service on transactions the Post Office is the only method of withdrawing money. Clearly, a significant percentage of this money is spent locally and so keeps the economy afloat.

In addition to the short-term implications for the local economy, there may also be difficulties in the long-term. This is because of the many businesses in the locality that rely on the Post Office for the successful day-to-day running of their organisation. To elaborate on this point, services such as the loss of parcel and recorded deliveries are crucial to the businesses based in the Model House as well as the many other shops and organisations in the area.

I thus find it incredibly difficult to accept the proposed closure of Llantrisant Post Office and, given its incongruence with the Llantrisant Old Town Regeneration Strategy, must insist on offering my support to defending this branch. I would therefore be extremely grateful if you could address the concerns that I have raised in this letter and I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,



Jane Davidson
Assembly Member for Pontypridd

What YOU can do (+ poster download)

OK, you've heard about this site. You want to help, what can you do?

Well the aim of this site is to record, in as short a time as possible, what the people of Llantrisant think about the proposed closure of our post office in Swan Street.

You can contribute to this website in a number of ways.

Firstly, ask yourself these questions:

What did you think when you heard about the proposed closure?
If the post office is closed, how will it affect you?
Will you be out of pocket as a result?
Do you run a business? If so, what impact will closure have on your work?
What affect will closure have on the community, particularly old people?

If you wish to make a blog entry, one written by yourself expressing how you feel (it could be a letter you've already sent to the powers that be), you can e-mail me at john.gilheaney@btinternet.com and I will happily upload it onto this site.

Or, if you would like me to visit and interview you, to hear your story in person, that could be arranged over the festive season.

Alternatively, just simply make a comment on a particular entry by clicking on the 0 comments link below.

By January 2nd I want to have compiled a comprehensive web-based document which reflects the feeling in the town. Something which the politicians can use to bolster our case, a site which makes the people who make the ultimate decision sit up and take notice of the viewpoints in Llantrisant.

Let's do everything we can to strengthen our aim.

Here are some people you can write to, tell them how you feel:

Mr Huw Roberts, Royal Mail Group, Director of Welsh Affairs, 3rd Floor, 220 Penarth Road, CARDIFF, CF11 8TA

Steve Geraty, Network Development Manager, Post Office Ltd, c/o National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM

Also, have a look at the links page on this site and get in touch with your local politician/AM.

(Note: feel freel to download and circulate the poster image at the top of this entry. Right click on your mouse - save picture as - click OK, save on your computer then print it out, put it on your front window and distribute!).

The effect closure would have on a stroke victim

On Christmas Eve I had a brief chat with Mark Mortimer of London House, Llantrisant. His words were very poignant indeed.

When Mark said goodbye I watched him limp very slowly down Swan Street towards his nearby house.

In the light of the proposed post office closure I thought it was a very sad sight. I wished that those who want to close the post office saw Mark's laboured walk home and heard what he had to say.

This is Mark's view.

"I'm disabled now. I had a stroke this year. I was in hospital for four months.

"When I heard the post office was closing I thought I can't go nowhere else.

"Then I thought I'd have to go to Talbot Green, catch buses and everything - ridiculous.

"I use the post office every Monday. I've been using it for ten years. If this one closes I'd have to get a taxi to go to another post office and that would cost me £4.

"I can't work because I've got a stroke so that kind of money would be a big burden to me.

"I think the people who are thinking of closing the post office down are foolish, they don't realise what the people have got here.

"The effect on the community will be big, too - people don't realise what they've got until it goes."

"What will the old do when it snows?"

Gwyn Rees, who lives on High Street, Llantrisant, is nearly 80. He says the proposed closure will make life much more difficult for the town's large population of elderly people.

He makes the valid point that OAPs who can't drive will have terrible problems traversing the hills that lead to and from other post offices in the area.

"I think the proposed closure is terrible," says Gwyn.

"We're living in one of the oldest towns in South Wales. When this town was thriving there was nothing up the valleys at all - nothing. Pontyclun didn't exist when this town was going 'ding-dong'.

"And yet they want to move the post office away from here.

"A lot of old people live here, myself included, I'm going on for 80 and I think the idea of closing the post office is blinkin' disgusting.

"Say it snows up here - how are we going to get to these other places? It's not fair. There are more old people up here than young ones, the threat of closure makes me bloody mad.

"If it closes I'll have to find my way to another place - that's OK if you can drive - but if you're knocking on 80, it's very, very difficult.

"I'm lucky, my missus is a bit younger than me, she drives me around in the car.

"But it could mean we have to drive to Penygawsi, down that hill, back up, and I'm nearly 80 years old!

"Closure would throw everybody out. I think it's wrong.

"When I ran an Iron Mongers shop down the road I used to do all my business at the post office. I remember the days when the streets of Llantrisant were lined with stalls, but those days have gone.

"Look at it (Gwyn surveys Swan Street at this moment) they've robbed us of everything and now they want to take away our post office."

Closure could be "a death knell" for town

Creighton Lewis, Advisor to the National Public Health Service and to the Association of Optometrists in London, lives 100 yards from the post office. When I spoke to him in December he made some very powerful points on the effects possible closure will have on transport, the business community and the town's old people too.

Here's what he said in full.

"I was absolutely disgusted when I heard about the proposed closure.

"The post office is a service which is paid for by taxes for the convenience of the people. It's not supposed to be a profit-making business at all no more than any of the other services, like the health service.

"Nobody says the Health Service doesn't make a profit - we have to have it. It's the same with the post office - we have to have it for the convenience of the town people.

"The whole point is the people who make the decision to close down the post offices are faceless.

"Really it comes down to the Prime Minister and the Government of this country because it is, after all, paid for by our taxes.

"I've written to the Prime Minister and if I could speak to him I would say that this is a service that we need in our community mostly for the elderly people, particularly in the old people's home, for the business people here in the town who are trying to build this town up and for those of us who are trying to run businesses from home.

"So it's an essential service. It's not something you can do away with and say: 'But, ah, you've got a post office a mile or so away down the road.'

"The number of people who won't be able to make use of that facility is tremendous.

"Personally I use the post office in Llantrisant on a daily basis and I see a lot of other people who do, too.

"I work as an Advisor to the National Public Health Service and to the Association of Optometrists in London and I work from home which means I receive legal documents and so on through the post.

"I have to send these back with high security through the local post office. This means that even though I've got a car and can go to different places it will be very inconvenient for me should the post office close down.

"At the moment I'm just a hundred yards from it but before long I may be a mile-and-a-half from my post office. I, and others, may lose valuable time and incur costs because of the proposed closure.

"For people who can't drive or catch the bus the nearest post office to here, going by taxi, is anything between £6-£8. For an old age pensioner that's a huge amount of money, a huge amount of money.

"This town wasn't built for transport, most people have cars which blocks up the streets. The bus is supposed to go round the side streets, down to the old age complex, back around and up on its way out - but that's only in the mornings anyway. But the bus can't get to the old age home where there are many elderly people so they don't have an alternative other than a taxi which is going to be awfully expensive.

"The post office is a pivotal part of the community. You've seen how busy it is this morning, people in and out, we all know each other, it's a gathering place where we can meet people we can turn to.

"Colin is an excellent Postmaster. He does far more than just dish out stamps and do the post, he's an essential part of the community.

"But the community itself is struggling particularly with the building of the large stores down the road in fact the town itself would die but for the businesses that have been developed here, the post office is an essential part of that.

"So we in the community are worried that by removing the post office it's another death knell as far as the town is concerned."

"I won't know what to do if they close it down"

"As you can see on a busy Monday morning like this, a lot of people use the post office - to get to the alternatives in the area that have been suggested is very inconvenient - there's enough traffic in Talbot Green as it is without adding to it.

"There's nothing in Llantrisant now as there used to be years ago and I think if they close the post office down it's going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of people especially the elder people in the old age complex.

"I won't know what to do myself if they close it down.

"It was bad enough when they took the TV licences away from the post office. Where the hell do you get a telly licence from now? There's nothing private about it anymore, when you go in a shop, or anything like that.

"I use the post office every week in fact I've been going to the post office ever since it's been here. Originally it was down on the main road. I've used it since I was a kid, you're talking about 50 odd years, roughly about twenty years since it's been in Swan Street.

"It would be a big mistake closing it down. It would have a major effect on the community."

Robert Hurley of Dan Caerlan

Sign of the times

If a stranger walked into town it wouldn't take him or her long to discover what's on the mind of many Llantrisant citizens.

Bright signs in red and gold which simply say: "Save our Post Office" adorn the windows of many town houses.

Let's hope the powers that be heed them.

Did you know?

The Federation of Small Businesses estimate that 20% of small businesses use the Post Office every day, and 47% more than once a week.

Post Offices are also a key tool in tackling financial and social exclusion. The social benefit of Post Offices must be taken into account as well as commercial pressures when determining the development of the network.

An open letter

An open letter sent to Steve Geraty (Network Development Manager, Post Office Ltd, c/o National Consultation Team, FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM) on November 19th.

Dear Mr Geraty

RE: PROPOSED CLOSURE OF LLANTRISANT POST OFFICE

I would like to register my dismay and disappointment at the news that the post office in Swan Street, Llantrisant is under threat of closure.

While I appreciate that the Post Office has to save money I hope you will do your utmost to prevent the demise of what is a pivotal point in the local community.

The closure of the Swan Street premises would make life much harder for those who are elderly and disabled as well as those town citizens who have low income and no access to motorised transport.

This is because alternative post offices in the area are not easily accessible on foot due to the steep hill one has to descend and then climb in order to reach other outlets.

In fact an unfortunate consequence of closing the post office in Swan Street would be increased level of traffic congestion caused by people having to drive to their nearest post office, instead of walking, as they currently do. This point also touches on obvious environmental drawbacks as you will no doubt appreciate.

I would be very sad to see Llantrisant post office close. On a personal level the man who runs it, Colin Cranness, is a gentleman, a popular guy who loves what he does and is always generous with his advice, time and humour. He really is a credit to the town and his profession.

I hope you will make the right decision which in my, and many other people's view, is to keep the post office in Swan Street open.

Yours sincerely

John Gilheaney

OK, you've seen how it's done. Make yourself heard today. Pick up that pen or leave a comment here. Every voice helps...although I must sadly inform you that I'm still awaiting a response to my letter to Mr Geraty.

What the politicians say

The following is an edited version of a letter (dated December 5th) sent by Plaid Cymru AMs Leanne Wood and Chris Franks to Llantrisant residents who signed a petition protesting at proposed post office closures across South Wales.

Dear Resident

Thank you for your support in the campaign to keep our Post Offices open.

As Plaid AMs we have raised the issue several times with the First Minister Rhodri Morgan and the Deputy Social Justice Minister in the Senedd. We have been working with local councillors and Plaid Cymru activists to keep the Post Offices open.

The Post Office Network Change Programme is the implementation of Westminster Government Policy...Since New Labour came to power across the UK they have closed 4,000 post offices while the previous Conservative administration closed 3,000.

Post Office branches play an invaluable economic and social role in our communites. The social benefit of post offices must be taken into account, yet at present commercial considerations take priority.

Plaid believes that a strong and vibrant Post Office network is essential to build sustainable communities in Wales and that outlets in Wales should not be subjected to the vagaries of the market.

We are committed to working with Local Government to explore ways in which more services can be provided through the network to improve the viability of branches.

Plaid is also committed to reinstating the Assembly run Post Office Development Fund. We want to make sure it delivers the type of help that sub postmasters need to enhance their businesses.

You can sign the online petition at www.saveourpostoffices.plaidcymru.org

Public meeting

The following report, by Victoria Richards, appeared in the Pontypridd and Llantrisant Observer on December 6th, 2007

POLITICAL differences were cast “a-scythe” as Labour and Plaid Cymru officials joined the fight against the “death” of local Post Offices.

After a public meeting at Llantrisant Workingmen’s Club, Pontypridd AM Jane Davidson wrote to Steve Geraty, Network Development Manager of Post Office Ltd, in a bid to save the seven Post Offices in the Pontypridd area at risk of closure.

Ms Davidson said: “I find it incredibly difficult to accept the proposed closure of Llantrisant Post Office and, given its incongruity with the Llantrisant Old Town Regeneration Strategy, must insist on offering my support in defence of this branch.

“I would welcome the opinions of all Pontypridd constituents who may be affected by the potential closures of Post Offices in their area, and ask that they contact me as soon as possible so that I may be able to forward their opinions to the relevant bodies.”

Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru AM Chris Franks joined local campaigners – including a masked “Grim Reaper” – at the Swan Street Post Office in Llantrisant to warn that its closure would lead to the slow death of the community.

The protest followed news that Post Office closure plans elsewhere will be delayed until after the local elections in May.

Mr Franks said: “This Post Office closure programme would slowly kill off our communities.

“If this Post Office is to live, then we need to fight off Labour’s Grim Reaper.”

AM Leanne Wood said: “The announcement to slash the Post Office network by a fifth marks the latest stage of this morbid onslaught.”

How the closure story broke

This story appeared on the BBC News Front Page in October and contains a brief interview with Colin.

The Royal Mail is to announce the closure of 31 post offices in south Wales next week, it has been claimed.

The South Wales Echo newspaper claims six post offices in Cardiff and 25 across the valleys, Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan will shut.

Plans for the rest of Wales are expected to be revealed in coming months.

A Post Office Ltd spokesman said it would be giving details of the proposals next Tuesday.

The spokesman said: "The public consultation for the proposed changes to the Post Office network in the Cardiff and Glamorgan valleys area will start on Tuesday and will last for six weeks, in line with the agreed process.

"At this time, we will be announcing details of the proposals, which will also be available on the Post Office website."

Gurmit Randhawa, who has run the post office in Sanquahar Street in Splott, Cardiff with his wife Harbrinder for the past 20 years, said: "People are devastated by the decision.

"There is one old lady who is in her 90s who has been coming here since she was a child. She is asking me what is she going to do."

"We knew that there were going to be proposals to cut some post offices but we thought it would be those that are making a loss, not ones like this that are making money."

"They are going to close two post offices in Splott. People are just devastated, they are talking about holding demonstrations."

Colin Cranness, who has run the Swan Street post office in Llantrisant for the past 16 years, said: "I realise that the Post Office has to save money, but it comes as a shock when you are earmarked, you don't think you'll be one on the list".

Mr Cranness, 57, said it would also mean the shop on the premises will also have to shut, not just the post office counter.

"The shop is not viable on its own without the post office. This will be a real blow for Llantrisant.

"I think the community will get behind it and we will get something going to try and save it."

'Changing lifestyles'

Liberal Democrats in Cardiff have launched a website to oppose the closures in the city.

Cardiff Central AM Jenny Randerson said she was "appalled" that the Salisbury Road branch in Cathays appeared to be on the list.

"This is just the sort of post office branch that would have been able to expand and prosper if the Labour assembly government hadn't abolished the Post Office Development Fund," she said.

About 2,500 post offices - a fifth of those left in the UK - are to close by 2009, the UK government confirmed in May.

The list of closures in south Wales is around a sixth of those in the local network.

The then Trade Secretary Alistair Darling said there were four million fewer customers using post offices every week in the UK than two years ago and they were losing £4m a week.

He said new technology and "changing lifestyles" had an effect.

Pension and child benefits can now be paid directly into bank accounts while TV licences, driving licences, passports and tax discs are now being supplied online and through other shops.

CLOSURE LIST

Bridgend: Rhoslanog, Parc Newydd

Cardiff: Salisbury Rd, Cathays; Evansfield Rd, Llandaff North; Newport Rd, St Mellons; Pill St, Cogan; Sanquahar St and Splott Rd, Splott; Cowbridge Rd/Neville St, Canton

Cynon Valley: Gadlys Rd and Merthyr Rd, Llwydcoed, Aberdare; Glancynon, Abercynon; Glyn Gwyn St, Miskin; Penderyn Comm Centre, Penderyn

Merthyr: Chapel St, Abercarnaid; Dan-Y-Twyn, Quakers Yard Station Sq, Merthyr Vale

Rhymney Valley: Bristol Terr, Brithdir; Jerusalem St, Rhymney

Pontypridd area: Swan St, Llantrisant; Cardiff Rd, Nantgarw; Graigwen Rd, Graigwen; Hopkinstown Rd, Hopkinstown; Leyshon St, The Graig; Tynybryn Rd, Tonyrefail

Rhondda: Ynyswen Rd, Abergorky; Commercial St, Blaenllechau; Miskin Rd, Trealaw; Court St, Blaenclydach; PO at Spar, Llewellyn St, Pentre; Trehafod Rd, Trehafod
Vale of Glamorgan: High St, Barry

Source: South Wales Echo

Llantrisant Post Office

Llantrisant Post Office, "an important social service in the community since 1840."

Long may that continue!

This blog's aim

The aim of this blog is simple.

Its purpose is to give the people of Llantrisant a website-based opportunity to express their feelings on the proposed closure of the town's Post Office.

The Post Office is a pivotal part of the community. We should all make an effort and do our best to preserve an important part of the town's heritage and, let's hope, future.

I'm a journalist by trade and so I'm utilsing my modest skills to good effect by starting this site.

I know that if the post office closed and I hadn't done my bit to help I would not be happy with myself. I would hate so see the Post Office cease, it's a crucial part of the town as I'm sure the personal stories you will read on this site will testify.

I respectfully invite those who wish to see the post office close to read the contents of this site before they make their final decision, to listen to the words of the people and show compassion and sense to their cause.

No time to waste. Let's begin.