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Eve Dugdale
11/ 6/2008

THE proposed closure of Tintwistle Post Office will rob the village of its last remaining shop.

Proposals published by the government on Tuesday have earmarked the New Road branch for closure along with four others in the High Peak.

Steve Bagshaw of Tintwistle and Hadfield Residents’ Association said: "The only other business left there is the hairdressers. It’s devastating for Tintwistle, it’s going to be very difficult for residents to do anything. Unless they’ve got a car they’re pretty much stuck.

"Even if you want a newspaper or a bottle of milk you’ve got to get in your car. One of the biggest issues round here is traffic and this will just add to the problem.

"We’ve got Matthews Close which are all old people’s bungalows. There are blind residents who can make their way to the Post Office because it’s a fairly quiet road, but how will they be able to negotiate buses to get to Hadfield to get their pensions?"

Tintwistle resident Steve Ward echoed his fears: "It’s a community they’re closing off. It’s the only shop we’ve got and the only facility for elderly people."

MP Tom Levitt predicts the closure of the Tintwistle branch will be the most ‘controversial’ out of the five in the High Peak.

"Clearly we’ve known that the Network Change Programme would have an effect on us but 24 Post Offices in the High Peak will be retained and none of those that are closing are very far from other Post Offices," he said.

"I think it’s important that everybody who feels strongly takes part in the consultation."

Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the High Peak, Andrew Bingham also encouraged residents to take part.

He said: "I feel desperately sorry for all postmasters whether their Post Office is earmarked for closure or not.

"They have been systematically starved out by this Government who have removed key areas of income from them bit by bit, making it harder and harder for them to make ends meet."

The consultation period runs until 21 July and residents can write to the Post Office at Freepost Consultation Team (no stamp required) or email consultation@postoffice.co.uk. For information phone 0847 223344 or visit www.postoffice.co.uk.

The residents’ association is urging concerned residents to attend its next meeting on Monday, 7 July at the New Lamp pub on Bankbottom, Hadfield at 8pm.

Commenting on the proposed closure, County Councillor Dave Wilcox said that the lack of information and data on usage made opposition difficult.

"Tintwistle Post office is the last shop in the village and regularly attracts a queue on Monday mornings." said Councillor Wilcox.

"It is important that people protest. We know that the average subsidy per transaction at the post office is £20.

"But we don’t know how much more costly Tintwistle may be compared with elsewhere. The fact that both Hadfield and Hollingworth are within a mile of Tintwistle pulls the village in two directions, whereas we want it to be pulled together.

Click here to see a map pinpointing all of the post offices in this area and across Greater Manchester which are earmarked for closure ...