A sad week looms

Despite knowing for nearly a month that our post office is to close I still can't quite believe it will, even though its final day of business will take place this week.

The following story, which appeared in Friday's Echo, is a very poignant read indeed.

POSTMASTERS across South Wales today spoke of their sorrow and anger as they prepared to close their branches for the final time.

Some 23 of the 29 post offices slated for closure in the region are set to shut their doors next week, one month after their fate was sealed.

One postmaster is holding a wake for his branch the day after it closes.

Graham Holton, 56, who has run the Evansfield Road branch in Llandaff North, Cardiff, for five years said customers were invited to the Royal Exchange pub on Ty Mawr Road at 5.30pm on Thursday.

He said: “The customers aren’t taking it very well at all. Some don’t want to go to Whitchurch and some don’t want to go to Gabalfa because of the threat of the kids.

“What’s sad is that many are just going to have their pensions paid into the bank.”

Colin Cranness, who has run the Swan Street branch in Llantrisant with his wife Lynne for nearly 16 years, said that many of his customers had also decided to stop using the Post Office.

“I’ve seen my life go out of the door in boxes over the last few days,” he said. “We haven’t got very many things left in here now. It’s very sad.”

Campaigners in Llantrisant have continued the fight despite Post Office Ltd’s final decision in January. Several have put pressure on watchdog Postwatch Wales to explain why the body withdrew its objection to the closures at the last minute.

The remaining branches on the closure list will shut their doors in the coming months. The branch at The Graig, Pontypridd, is planning to close at the end of March.