'Temporary' Post Office Closure Turns into Closure by Stealth

8.49.50pm GMT Sun 7th Feb 2010

The closure of the Sutton Common Road post office over a year ago described by the Post Office management as 'temporary' has been dubbed a stealth closure by local Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Burstow.

When the sub post office was closed Post Office management told Mr Burstow that they would be seeking a new agent to run the service. Months have gone by and there is still no new post office in Sutton Common Road. Residents have been forced to collect pensions, pay bills and buy stamps at post offices in Sutton and Rosehill instead.

Post Office management told Mr Burstow that two local businesses had applied to run the sub post office but that neither application had led to a successful outcome. However, Mr Burstow has learned that at least one business who applied claim never to have heard from the Post Office about the outcome of their application.

Commenting, Paul Burstow MP, said "Post Office management have already stripped north Sutton and Cheam of most of its local sub post masters. It is hard not to be suspicious of the length of time it is taking to get a new sub post office open. In the meantime the Sutton Common parade is dying with more empty units and more fast food takeaways moving in. It is time the post office told the truth."