The Politics Show

The fight to save our post office is likely to be featured on this Sunday's edition of The Politics Show which is on BBC1 Wales from 12pm - 1pm.

I've been informed our campaign is "likely" to be covered since, as with all news-related programmes, a really big story could tear up the schedule, so fingers crossed Sunday is a quiet news day.

Filming for the programme took place in town this week, this morning was a particularly busy time in the post office as you can see!

Pictured above is Jane Davidson, AM for Pontypridd, being interviewed by The Politics Show's Mark Hannaby.

In the picture below, also taken today are (left to right): Councillor Glynne Holmes, Post Master Colin Cranness, Jane.

(Thanks to Ciaran, Mark and The Politics Show crew for taking an interest in our story. Thanks also to Gareth Mantle for supplying the picture of Jane Davidson being interviewed in the post office).

Huw Roberts writes...

Gareth Mantle, from Jane Davidson's office, kindly sent me a copy of a letter Jane recently received from Huw Roberts, Director Welsh Affairs, Royal Mail Group.

The letter was dated January 7th, below are extracts from Mr Roberts' letter.

MR ROBERTS ON THE FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN A POST OFFICE CLOSURE IS PROPOSED: "...customer usage (measured by customer session data) proximity (measured by road distance) to other branches, the branch's relative size to surrounding branches (used in order to calculate the impact of migration to surrounding branches) and commercial benefit to Post Office Ltd."

ON THE DIFFICULTY OF ACCESSING NEIGHBOURING POST OFFICES: "My colleagues and I have visited the Llantrisant area on a number of occasions and considerable research has been undertaken on the ground prior to public consultation.

"I acknowledge your point that the High Street is winding and hilly in particular with the juntion with Talbot Road, Cross Inn Road and Cardiff Road. However, there is a regular bus service in operation to both neighbouring branches with the journey taking approximately five minutes."

ON TAKING PROSPECTIVE FINANCIAL BENEFITS INTO CONSIDERATION: "Post Office Ltd has contacted every local authority in the country to ask for any information they hold on future regeneration plans, improved transport links and any road improvements. The aim is to ensure Post Office Ltd has one eye firmly on the future when designing a network of sustainable Post Offices."

ON THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON COSTS TO THE POST OFFICE AND A TARGET FOR USAGE WHEREBY THE BRANCH WOULD BE SUSTAINABLE: "Our financial information is held in commercial confidence and will not be made public."

ON THE PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTATION: "...it's not to undertake a detailed scrutiny of our financial position or comparison of such between branches. The consultation is about giving stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the service provision proposed...an opportunity to bring to our attention information we should be considering in our decision. Financial information does not fall into this category...profit for an individual subpostmaster does not necessarily translate as a profit for Post Office Ltd.

"Pay is the most significant cost in our business model, and as we reduce our prices to compete, we cannot cut pay by the same rates."

Do you think Mr Roberts' arguments are convincing? Are all his points, particularly with regard to the bus service, factually correct? Let him know what you think!

You can leave a comment here.

Alternatively you can write to Huw at the following address: Huw Roberts, Director of Welsh Affairs, Royal Mail Group, 220 Penarth Road, Cardiff.

You can also contact Jane Davidson at: Unit 10, Maritime Office, Woodland Terrace, Maesycoed, Pontypridd, CF37 1DZ.

I'll keep you updated on any feedback/responses I receive regarding Mr Roberts' letter.

Coach trip to Westminster (2)

Colin the Post Master has told me there are approximately ten places left on the coach that will take us to London to see Kim Howells MP next Wednesday.

I'm sure that as well as putting our very important message across the trip will also be fun too so if you're thinking of coming, be decisive, show your support and forward your name!

Feel free to e-mail me or simply pop in to the post office and add your name to the list.

I reckon you should because it will be a day that all who travel in aid of the Llantrisant branch and, in so doing, our community, will remember for a very long time.

(Just to let you know the trip is free of charge, thanks to a very kind and much appreciated donation by a Llantrisant-based businessman who wishes to remain anonymous. The bus will leave for London at 7am, from the Bull Ring, it's estimated we should be back in Llantrisant at approx 7pm)

The business view

In the picture: Three of the men who've done so much in the fight to keep our post office open (from left to right) Allan Matheson (Colin, the Post Master's, 'Campaign Manager'), Colin Williams (details below) and Councillor Glynne Holmes.

So far this site has largely concentrated on hearing the views of the older folk in Llantrisant.

Now it's time to hear the equally powerful opinions of our business community, all of whose work would be severely hampered if our post office were to close.

In November Colin Williams, Operations Director of n-ergy, a firm specialising in business growth (see links) wrote an extremely comprehensive 1,500 word letter to Post Office Ltd's Steve Geraty outlining the many reasons why our branch should stay open.

He touched on issues like location, parking, the elderly, tourism, social inclusion and transport.

Here he outlines how the closure of the Swan Street premises would hit both him and our town's entrepreneurs.

"We are a recently established business and are located directly opposite the Llantrisant branch Post Office.

"We purchased and renovated one of the town’s historic premises, The Old Parish Offices, and now employ 11 people from the site. The proximity of our town's post office was a major, positive consideration in our decision to base ourselves here. The service they provide us is of extreme importance and closure would definitely raise our costs.

"In my view the alternatives suggested in the Post Office’s Document 'Proposed branch closure' have been made without any apparent factual and practical consideration.

"If we were to use either alternative this would add at least one hour per day for our administration staff – one of whom is registered disabled. They would need to drive to Talbot Green or Cross Inn to access the services of a Post Office - much of our mail is sent registered or recorded delivery, so a post box isn’t convenient for us.

"Llantrisant has many small businesses situated around the post office, it is a town that has resurrected itself from the negative impact of superstore establishment in the seventies and eighties, a time when nearly all local businesses closed.

"The town now has many small businesses of varying nature serviced by our post office. We have a thriving community with increasing commercial activity and this in itself will attract more small businesses to the town and therefore more employment. The closure of our post office will make Llantrisant less attractive for future investment by existing and new business.

"As well as this our branch is the nearest one to the Llantrisant Business Park (home of the Royal Mint). It offers ample parking for business and disabled users alike, far better than either of the alternatives identified by the Post Office.

"I would ask the Post Office to seriously consider the closure of the Llantrisant branch. There are exceptional reasons why it must no be closed. Our post office provides a commercial as well as a public Service to the town."

"I feel sorry for the pensioners"

"I was devastated when I heard the news they might be closing it down," said Rita Howells of Heol Gwynno when I spoke to her on New Year's Eve.

"I pay my electric and gas bills here everytime I get my pension. I use the post office up to three times a week. I get my cards here, sometimes I get cake from the shop, too.

"The old people in the complex come up here, what will they do if it goes?

"I feel sorry for the pensioners I do, because it's all hill in Llantrisant."

Your voice is being heard

A worry expressed by some town people in recent months has been the fact that not all letters sent to Network Development Manager Steve Geraty have been acknowledged.

So I was heartened today when I received a response to a letter I recently sent to Huw Roberts, Director Welsh Affairs, Royal Mail Group.

Earlier this month I asked Mr Roberts to visit this site and read the opinions of Llantrisant folk. I also asked him to acknowledge my invitation in writing.

Today I received a reply, dated January 4th. This is what Mr Roberts wrote.

"Thank you for your letter dated January 2nd and for bringing the Save Llantrisant Post Office site to our attention.

"While the consultation period on the proposal to close Llantrisant Post Office has come to an end, the comments posted on the site so far will form part of the consultation process and will be taken into consideration prior to a final decision."

You can't get much fairer than that can you?

A glance at the opinions expressed from the date this site began to January 4th shows that a lot of persuasive and passionate views were aired.

So I'd like to thank Huw for visiting this site and replying to my letter.

I'd also like to thank him again soon...for being part of the decision-making team that decided to keep Llantrisant Post Office open!

Coach trip to Westminster

A coach trip to Westminster, to meet Kim Howells MP, is being arranged by Councillor Glynne Holmes, the date has been set for Wednesday January 16th.

Those travelling will assemble in the Bull Ring at 6.45am, the coach will leave for London at 7am.

If you are interested in going - and the more the merrier! - please pop into the post office and see Colin. Alternatively, e-mail me and I will pass your details on.

This is a great opportunity for us all to express how we feel and to generate more publicity for our cause so I would urge as many townfolk as possible to sign up for the trip, it can only make our case stronger.

And I'm sure it will be fun too.

So sign up today!

Davidson "encouraged" by Postwatch announcement

A press release received this afternoon, thanks to Gareth Mantle from Jane Davidson's office for sending it on.

Jane Davidson, AM for Pontypridd, says she is encouraged by a recent letter, received from Eifion Pritchard, Chairman of Postwatch Wales, which gives hope to those opposed to the closing of Llantrisant’s Post Office.

Naming Llantrisant Post Office as one of four in Cardiff and Glamorgan Valleys region to be of particular concern to them, Postwatch’s letter states that there are “aspects of Post Office Ltd’s plan which are unsatisfactory”.

Postwatch’s investigation of the proposal to close Llantrisant Post Office, following their analysis of Post Office Ltd’s data and public submissions, including a detailed letter from Jane, has resulted in Post Office Ltd agreeing Postwatch’s request to review their plans.

Jane Davidson said: “I am encouraged by Postwatch’s request that Post Office Ltd reconsider its proposal to close Llantrisant Post Office. I have been contacted by many, many constituents who were extremely concerned about the potential loss of this important service, and have ensured that their views are forwarded to the relevant people, notably Steve Geraty, Network Development Manager of Post Office Ltd.

”I will continue to fight for the maintenance of Llantrisant Post Office using all means available to me, as I am strongly of the opinion that its invaluable service must be maintained.”

A ray of hope in post office closure battle

The following story appeared in the South Wales Echo on January 5th. Fair play to Echo Journalist David James for being ahead of the pack.

(Note, for more stories from the Echo please click on Media Wales in the Links section)

FOUR of the South Wales post office branches threatened with closure have been given a ray of hope.

Watchdog Postwatch has officially opposed plans to close four of the 31 branches affected by the brutal branch cull in the region.

The consumer body has demanded a review which the Post Office is obliged to carry out once the decision is announced at the end of January.

Postmasters at the four branches affected – Llantrisant; High Street, Barry; Splott Road, Cardiff, and Cogan Pill – gave the news a cautious welcome.

Colin Cranness, who has run the Swan Street branch in Llantrisant for 15 years, said: “It’s interesting, there’s hope. They are a good independent party to have on board.”

Yet the results of consultations on post office closure proposals in four different areas of England have been a blow to South Wales’ postmasters’ hopes.

Only 10 of 231 branches slated for closure in Kent, East Essex, East Midlands and East Yorkshire were given a reprieve following the six-week consultation in those areas.

And a different 10 post offices have now been named as replacement closures. In those areas, 51 of the closures are being reviewed under the agreement with Postwatch.

In a letter, Postwatch’s chairman in Wales Eifion Pritchard described the plans to close the four branches as “unsatisfactory” but stressed that the watchdog could not veto the proposals.

Plaid AM Chris Franks said he was disappointed the body had not objected to more closures.

He said: “While this news is welcome for the branches affected, it is bad news for the other post offices that the Westminster Government has sought to close.

“Because of the way the Government has planned this, if one post office is saved it is very likely that another will be forced to close.”

Pontypridd AM Jane Davidson, who represents Llantrisant, said she was encouraged by the news.

But Plaid AM Leanne Wood described it as a “mixed blessing” because it meant Postwatch was “effectively endorsing” the other 27 closures.

A decision on the Post Office closures is expected to be announced at the end of January and it is believed that the January 22 date has been pencilled in for the public announcement.

In total, a sixth of Britain’s post office branches will have to close under an agreement between the Post Office and the Government because of dwindling business.

Several local campaigns to save branches are still ongoing and journalist John Gilheaney has set up a site at savellantrisantpostoffice. blogspot.com to fight for the Swan Street branch.

david.james@mediawales.co.uk

Watchdog demands closure rethink

I must say that, on a cold, rainy, miserable Monday morning in January it was quite a tonic to receive the following press release, which was very kindly sent to me by Plaid Cymru AM, Chris Franks

A consumer watchdog's formal demand for a rethink of plans to close Llantrisant post office on Swan Street has been given a cautious welcome by Plaid Cymru politicians.

In a letter to Plaid Cymru, Postwatch, the consumer postal watchdog, states: "... we believe that there are particular aspects of Post Office Ltd's plan which are unsatisfactory...these relate to the following post offices: ... Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf ...."

The letter continues: "We have therefore requested the above proposals are reviewed."

Under plans put out to public consultation before Christmas the post offices at Swan Street, Llantrisant; Cardiff Road, Nantgarw; Graigwen; Hopkinstown; the Graig; Tynybryn Road; and Trehafod will all be closed.

In his letter to Plaid Cymru, Eifion Pritchard, Chair of Postwatch Wales adds: "For other closure proposals within the area plan, we expect Post Office Ltd to implement them."

Plaid Assembly Member Chris Franks responded: "I am very glad that the watchdog have called for a rethink of the closure of the post office on Swan Street. It is a tribute to the campaign fought by local people.

"However, Plaid is opposed to this entire closure plan. We are disappointed that Postwatch have not objected to more of the proposed branch closures.

"While this news is to be welcomed, it is worrying news for the other post offices that the Westminster government has sought to close. Because the government is forcing the Royal Mail to close 2,500 post offices, if one branch is saved another may be forced to close."

Plaid's Leanne Wood AM (pictured above) added: "Plaid has consistently opposed these savage cuts to our local postal services. It's absurd that they are planning these closures at the same time as the Royal Mail Chief Executive is to get an enormous bonus taking his total salary to £1.3 million a year."

Radyr folk join the fight

It's always nice to get support from beyond the town. I received these pleasing words of encouragement at the weekend.

"I'd like to add my name to hat of the others you have received. I am
outraged at the proposal to close post offices in general and Llantrisant
post office in particular.

"I speak on behalf of a group of local neighbours in Radyr, South Glamorgan, who were discussing the matter last night. We were a group of 7 people.

"PLEASE KEEP LLANTRISANT POST OFFICE OPEN!"

Sue Shields

Thank you very much, Sue, it's reassuring to know that it's not only those in Llantrisant who are fighting the good fight.

"I'm disgusted a Labour government is doing this"

The words of Michael Welsh, who lives in Gwaunruperra, Llantrisant, and whom I interviewed on New Year's Eve, speak for themselves.

"I think the proposed closure is disgusting to be honest with you.

"We are an elderly community so where can we go? They say go down to Penygawsi but the roads are dangerous and the aisles in the post office down there are small, the elderly "on sticks", or in wheelchairs will have big problems. And when they fill shelves you can't move, I know, I've been there.

"As for Talbot Green, well that's the other side of town - I'm lucky I've got a car but that's not the point is it?

"They say they're closing the post offices because they're not making money. Well who's to say that our post office isn't making money? It seems they're closing them willy nilly to me, they haven't studied the terrain that we have to put up with in this area.

"We're on a hill and we need our post office.

"I use the post office every week for my pension, for birthday cards, greeting cards. I mean if I wanted a stamp where do I go if this isn't open?

"Where do I go if I want to send a letter by recorded delivery?

"I'm disgusted a Labour government is doing this because at the end of the day they own 51% of it, don't they? I think it's terrible."

BBC contact

A Journalist from BBC Wales was in touch this morning. He said he was researching the political background to the proposed closures.

I have asked the researcher in question, Ciaran, to keep me updated about the programme he is working on.

As soon as I hear of a broadcast date I will upload the news here.

Thank you Mr B

On Wednesday night I had a chat with my great friend, the Journalist Fred Brenton.

He suggested inviting TV news reporters out to Llantrisant to descend and then ascend the hill, the way elderly townfolk will have to should our post office close and they are forced to use other outlets in the area.

A press release was written and circulated this morning asking news editors to send out reporters who have piled on the pounds over the festive season (this is one way to lose them!) so thanks for the suggestion Mr B!

Let's hope we get some feedback soon and let's also hope we can get some AMs and Post Office bosses to visit the town should the cameras come. It would make for an interesting journey, if a rather breathless discussion!

Post office fight may go to London

The following news story, by Matthew Thomas, can be found in this week's edition of the Pontypridd and Llantrisant Observer.

CAMPAIGNERS battling to keep Llantrisant Post Office open have vowed to take their fight to Westminster.

Following a public meeting, protestors agreed plans to visit London this month to drive home their message.

Coun Glynne Holmes said: “We are often told that Post Office Ltd is a private concern and that we have to accept this. The Government however has a majority holding therefore we must now take the battle to London.

“The postal service as we know it today started off in 1840 as a nationalised concern completely owned with a 100 per cent holding by the government. What has happened?

“I am proposing a coach party to go to London and lobby our MP at Westminster and if need be make our voice heard at 10 Downing Street, if we can gain permitted access off Whitehall.

“Ultimately, the battle must continue against Post Office Ltd who have a 49 per cent stake and the Government with the lion's share of 51 per cent.

“I have received an encouraging letter of support from the Member of Parliament and excellent copies of letters from Jane Davidson, our Assembly member who has further stated our case with solid reasons for the post office to remain open.”

Anyone interested in taking part in the demonstration should add their name to a list in Llantrisant Post Office.

If you want to register your opposition to this post office closure you can visit http://savellantrisantpostoffice.blogspot.com online or write to The Observer at pontypridd.observer@mediawales.co.uk by email or send a letter to our postal address.

"A contributor to social exclusion"

I would like to give a big thank you to Richard Hall, a Methodist Minister in South Wales who runs a blog called, Connexions.

Yesterday, while browsing the index of Blog Cymru entries, I saw one entitled Save Llantrisant Post Office and, to my delight, it wasn't written by me!

This is what Richard wrote:

"It is undeniable that in Britain’s small towns and villages, the Post Office is a vital public service. For the mobile and active, the closure of a Post Office may mean nothing worse than an inconvenient trip into town. For the elderly, disabled and those with small children, the same closure can be a real contributor to social exclusion.

"Post Office branches across Britain are under threat in a drive to cut costs and improve efficiency. One such is in the South Wales town of Llantrisant. A journalist in the town is fighting the closure by setting up a blog called, appropriately enough, Save Llantrisant Post Office, to gather reactions from local people.

"Great stuff. I wish them well."

Thank you very much, Richard, your support is most welcome. As I've mentioned before, entries on the Blog Cymru index are read by AMs, MPs, and a fine assembly of voices across Wales, so thanks for giving our campaign in Llantrisant a mention.

You can visit Richard's site by clicking on Connexions in the links section of this site.

"It's the heart of the town, always has been, always will be"

One of the most passionate people I've spoken to about the proposed closure of our post office was Vivian Holloway from Dan Caerlan, Llantrisant.

He emphasised the difficulties pensioners will have in using the proposed alternatives and he didn't mince his words when it came to criticising Westminster's politicians.

This is what Vivian said.

"It's alright for people to say it's only so many miles to the next post office but they don't realise you have to go down a hill, across two main roads - how are old people going to come back up?

"That's the way I look at it, I think if this post office closes it would be disgusting.

"People in Parliament are trying to close it down and they know nothing about it, nothing about the situation here. They are talking a load of rubbish.

"I use this post office every week. I use it for my pension, I do all my banking here, this is the main place for me.

"I even get pensions for other people as well, those who can't come at the moment because they're ill or for whatever reason. I don't know how they'd manage if it goes.

"I've got a car at the moment but I'm not always going to have a car so how will I get to the next one (post office)?

"I feel very upset about it, I really do.

"Where else could I bank? I'd have to go to Talbot, Cardiff, Pontypridd. There's no chance for us, especially in a town like this and I think we - us old age pensioners - are the majority.

"The post office is the heart of any town, always has been, always will be

"I'm 77 and I've been using this post office for years and years and years, since before it was here in Swan Street.

"As for Colin, what a man! The best Post Master there is, first class. He and his wife Lynne will do anything for you and we will lose a good man in him if the post office goes."

Closure would be "hugely irresponsible" says Plaid AM

Plaid Cymru AM Chris Franks, South Wales Central, kindly contacted me today.

This is what he wrote.

"When I visited Llantrisant Post Office it was clear that it would be hugely irresponsible to withdraw this facility.

"I fear that the UK government is determined that thousands of additional Post Offices will close but we must do all we can to save the network of Post Offices especially LLantrisant."

Chris Franks AM, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1NA
e-mail: christopher.franks@wales.gov.uk

Jane Davidson writes...

Gareth Mantle, from Jane Davidson's office, kindly e-mailed me today. He sent me copies of two letters Jane has recently written regarding the proposed closure of our post office.

You can find one of them, written to Post Office Network Development Manager Steve Geraty, in full on the website entry entitled: News update (+ letter sent by Jane Davidson to Steve Geraty)

The letter you'll find on this blog entry was written by Jane, Assembly Member for Pontypridd, on December 20th and sent to Huw Roberts, Royal Mail Group, Director of Welsh Affairs, 3rd Floor, 220 Penarth Road, CARDIFF, CF11 8TA. A copy was also sent to Mr Geraty.

Here's the contents of that letter.

Dear Mr Roberts

RE: PROPOSED CLOSURE OF LLANTRISANT POST OFFICE

Thank you very much for your response to my letter dated November 28th and for your assurance that its contents will be considered by the National Consultation Team before arriving at a final decision.

In your response, you informed me of the four criteria that are being used in identifying post office branches for closure. It seems to me that two of these are particularly pertinent to the case of Llantrisant Post Office and, in addition to the issues raised in my previous letter, I will now proceed to make further representations on behalf of my constituents regarding these two criteria.

Firstly, you name one criterion as being the ‘proximity of nearby branches’, which leads me to seek confirmation as to the flexibility of such a title. Indeed, with the case of Llantrisant Post Office, it is not so much the proximity of alternative branches that will cause difficulties as it is difficulties in their access. The problem then is not that they are not close enough; rather, it is that they are not easy to get to.

To elaborate, the path to the alternative branches is not straightforward: the steepness of the hill combines with the inadequacy of the pavements to result in what may be considered a dangerous route to take, especially for elderly users. On this issue, I enquire as to the possibility of a visit to the branch so that these difficulties can be properly accounted for during the consultation period.

Secondly, regarding the criterion of the ‘financial benefit of closure to Post Office Ltd’, I include additional information of business usage for your information and also ask that this criterion not be restrained to being only retrospective.

The Model House Craft & Design Centre, which is opposite the branch, houses sixteen separate units, of which eleven are businesses. In addition to the high volume of personal usage that is generated by employees of these businesses, the businesses themselves rely on the service to sustain and grow their enterprises. Indeed, I understand from my constituents that the majority of these businesses make use of the branch on a daily basis for a variety of services including postage, banking and bills.

On top of these businesses, there are upwards of twenty other takeaways, clubs, pubs and cafes that all use the branch for the day-to-day running of their business. Statistically, there are at least fifteen organisations that use the branch for postage and for bills as well as four others who rely on the branch for their banking. Furthermore, nearby Llantrisant Business Park has forty-one businesses in operation, many of which use the branch. In particular, I understand that the large Buy as You View organisation make great use of the branch.

The usage of the branch translates into the following in monetary terms. The figures below represent transactions during the period 25/10/07 – 21/11/07.

Service/Quantity/Amount(in £’000s)

Cash Withdrawal/226/17.5
Bill Payments/804/22
Pension Payments/678/97
Business Banking/57/21.2
Phone E. Top-Up/151/1.1

Mail Type/Quantity

Special Delivery/23
Postage Labels/509
Airmail/79
Stamp Books Solo/194
Recorded Mail Sent/152
Inland Mails Sent/591
Overseas Mails Sent/88

Referring back to your criterion of the ‘financial benefit of closure to Post Office Ltd’ I would be extremely grateful if you could elaborate on the costs to the Post Office and possibly provide a target for usage whereby the branch would be sustainable. As well as this, I would be grateful if you could address my concern that prospective financial benefits are considered in addition to retrospective financial benefits.

I ask this due to the fact that the redevelopment of Llantrisant Business Park is now underway. As of August this year, the construction company Midas is starting Phase One of the Park’s regeneration strategy. The proposed extension will bring an additional twenty-four businesses to the locality of the branch, which will further increase its usage. I therefore request that this is taken into consideration in terms of the potential future gains that could accrue to Post Office Ltd. In doing so, I ask that the ‘financial benefits’ are not strictly retrospective.

Combining all of the above, I feel it an imperative that I continue to offer my support to the many residents that have contacted me concerned as to the proposals for Llantrisant Post Office. I would therefore be extremely grateful if you could address the issues that I have raised on their behalf.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,


Jane Davidson
Assembly Member for Pontypridd

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

Jane's address: Constituency Office, Unit 10, Maritime Offices, Woodland Terrace, Maesycoed, Pontypridd, CF37 1DZ Tel: 01443 406400 Fax: 01443 406402
Email address: Jane.Davidson@wales.gov.uk

"I meet all my friends here"

Mrs Violet Doster from Dan Y Felin, Llantrisant spoke for many when I met her on New Year's Eve.

Here she expresses what the post office means to her and also the problems the disabled will face if the premises in Swan Street closes.

"My thoughts on the proposed closure are the same as most people's - we're devastated.

"Llantrisant is an historic town and everything in Llantrisant has died and gone, it's all gone down to Talbot Green and Penygawsi and I think it's a shame really because people run businesses up here and they need somewhere to put their money in.

"The post office means a lot to me, I use it nearly every day. I meet all my friends here, I get my pension, I do my banking, post letters and parcels too.

"If the post office closed I'd have to do my business at Penygawsi but you see I'm lucky, I've got a car - lots of people haven't - and I'm young enough to drive. Lots of old people can't get down to Penygawsi and in Talbot Green you can't park, it's lethal down there.

"If I could speak to the people who will make the decision I'd say this: 'There's an old age complex in Llantrisant and the people there find it difficult enough to get up here in Swan Street. You say there's wheelchair access down in the alternative post offices we'd have to use but there isn't because everything is in the aisles, I know, I have a partner who is in a wheelchair and it's very awkward to get into places.'"

A simple favour

I would like to begin this entry by wishing all viewers of this site a very Happy New Year.

I would also like to ask a favour.

Could all readers of this webpage mention this site's address (www.savellantrisantpostoffice.blogspot.com) in letters and communications they have with the Post Office/Media/MPs and AMs?

I don't make this request out of vanity (there's no need to mention my name at all) I ask this for a few simple reasons - I want this site to be an extra weapon in our bid to save the post office, a chance for the people who have kindly given their time and expressed their views here to have their voices heard by the people that matter!

Let's keep on writing and keep on using our post office until the day the decision is made.

(I was out interviewing folk on New Year's Eve. Log in later to read more fresh and vibrant opinions from the good people of our town). Thank you.

"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.