Two Chelmsford post offices are set to shut in March, in the wake of a campaign to save sub-post offices in rural areas.

The offices at King's Road, Boarded Barns, and Trent Road, Chignal, are almost certain to close and protests are growing.

Mr K C Sharma, postmaster at Kings Road, is nearing retirement and will shut his unprofitable post office in March - even if the official closure, from which he will receive up to £30,000 compensation, is halted.

At Trent Road, Ms Nindi Mudhar has run the post office for three years and is unenthusiastic about carrying on. "I cannot make a living," she said.

Now hundreds of elderly people and those drawing benefits face a long walk or bus ride to alternative post offices at Melbourne or Broomfield.

The Post Office wants to shut up to 3,000 of the UK's 9,000 urban sub-post offices for efficiency reasons.

A glimmer of hope for Boarded Barns comes with an offer by Chelmsford Star Co-op to take over the service and run it from it Kings Road Altogether Fresher store providing terms are favourable.

West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns wants people in the areas affected to protest. He said: "The Post Office needs to know the strength of feeling locally and how inconvenient the alternatives it is offering are.

"It is great to hear that other commercial organsations are willing to take on the role, and the Post Office needs to be reminded of this in no uncertain terms."

Labour councillors who represent both Post Office catchments are seeking urgent talks with the Post Office, and Liberal Democrat county councillor Tom Smith Hughes was scathing about the effect on Trent Road residents.

He said: "It is well known that both these localities have a high proportion of non-car users, very elderly people and young mothers with children and minimal private transport."

Also opposing the shutdown and supporting the Co-op bid is the newly formed Melbourne and Barns Residents Association.

Published Thursday, January 16, 2003

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