Residents got the chance on Thursday evening to have their say on proposed Post Office move to WH Smith.
A meeting last night (Thursday March 6) was held at Winchester's Guildhall as part of a period of public consultation over plans to relocate Winchester's Central 'Crown' Post Office into the High Street WH Smith.
Around 150 residents fired questions at representatives from the Post Office an WH Smith for over two hours.
A tightly controlled agenda, led by Lib Dem councillor and Chairman of the Winchester Town Forum (Cllr Dominic Hiscock) blankly refused residents the chance to discuss whether this move would go adead. Those attending were only able to put questions on how the move will take place in practice.
Prospective Winchester MP, Steve Brine was there and commented after the meeting; “I predict this will work out nicely for Smith's and for the Post Office, who clearly need to save serious sums of money to survive as a business without greatly increased public subsidy. But I suspect in the long-run this will lead to a scaled down Crown Post Office for Winchester.
"That said, this is a move that is clearly going to happen. The Post Office and WH Smith have given a whole host of guarantees about the service that will be offered in the future - all I can say is Winchester will be watching!"
The move should be complete, and the new Post Office open within WH Smith at the end of May 2008.
If you could not attend the meeting and would like to have your say before the consultation period ends on March 27, you can write as follows:
Philippa Wright, National Consultation Manager, Post Office Ltd, c/o National Consultation Team, PO Box 2060, WATFORD WD18 8ZW
- Campaign action points and more information
- You can download the flyer for the public meeting, which was held on Thursday March 6 in Winchester Guildhall here.
- You can visit our special campaign page on this issue, have your say and download campaign material by clicking here.
- See Hampshire Chronicle report here.
Pictured above - the scene in Blackpool where a similar change has already taken place. It seems this is to be Winchester's fate.
