Burley And Menston Post Offices Escape Axe (from Wharfedale Observer)

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Burley and Menston post offices escape axe

By Andrea Hardaker

Postmasters at two village post offices which escaped closure this week spoke of their cautious relief' that their businesses had been spared the axe.

Offices in Menston and Burley-in-Wharfedale will continue to operate as normal despite the latest wave of closures sweeping the district.

While staff were pleased that their businesses had managed to survive the latest cuts, some remained unconvinced that that their long-term future was guaranteed.

Burley postmaster John Garforth said he felt certain the full extent of the cuts had not yet been revealed.

He said: "Obviously I am relieved that we are not on the hit-list and I feel so sorry for the people being closed up and down the valley.

"I personally don't think it's settled yet and have got a gut feeling there will be more to come. This has nothing to do with the federation or the Post Office, it's my own intuition. I just don't feel it's settled."

He said the loss of the services all over the district would be greatly felt by people.

He said: "I have been here for 20 years and have seen many changes over that time. I like to think we are still a major part of the community. When you think of all the other small towns and villages, if they lose their post office, they lose a lot more than just a place to buy stamps.

"For a lot of people it is a point of contact. We look out for them. We provide a social service, we see people week after week - especially elderly and vulnerable people and if someone does not turn up one week we are asking questions.

"The internet has affected the service greatly but services on-line are totally different to the kind of contact we provide."

Such was the importance of the post office in Burley over the years that there is even an area named Post Office Yard' in the village. It comes from a post office based there in 1850.

But according to Menston postmaster Peter Finlay, who is the North-East regional secretary for the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, the future of the business is bleak - despite its long established history.

He said: "I am relieved from a personal point of view that my office in Menston and the service in Burley-in-Wharfedale will remain open.

"From our perspective we very much appreciate that the Post Office has taken that decision but there are still hard times ahead for the Post Office as a whole. Unless management get the future strategy right, the Post Office will still have a major problem.

"Five years ago I had two full time people in Menston Post Office. Now I am virtually a one-man band as a result of Government policy."

Shipley MP Philip Davies said he hoped that the decision to retain both services would not change in the future.

He said: "Both (Burley and Menston Post Offices) play a crucial role in the local community and are valuable to local residents. I am delighted that the Post Office has recognised how important those roles are in these villages and others in my constituency, who have also escaped the axe and I hope they can be guaranteed a long term future.

"It is perfectly understandable that postmasters are remaining cautious because there has been such uncertainty over the whole Post Office network."

3:06pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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