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The decision to close Bournemouth and Poole's historic town centre post offices after more than a century of service has come under fire from Daily Echo readers.
We revealed on Saturday how the Victorian building in Post Office Road, Bournemouth and Poole's High Street branch will shut within the next 18 months as 70 post offices across the country are absorbed into branches of WH Smith.
Staff will be offered the chance to move to the new franchise offices, other posts in the Royal Mail or take redundancy.
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Making his views known on our website, concerned reader Glenn from Poole said: "I have always regarded WH Smith as retailers of stationary and books, rather than retailers of mail and couriers. I guess I am just out of touch.
"I have endured horrendous waits in queues in both WH Smith and the Post Office. Why are post offices being closed?" He asked why the decision to close the Bournemouth and Poole town centre post offices had not been challenged by local politicians.
Jackie said: "Does this mean that they will have to re-name Post Office Road. They can't call it that anymore surely?
"This unfortunately has to be accepted as the changing face of Britain."
J Phillips from Bournemouth described the decision as "disgusting," adding: "Surely a post office is a post office and WH Smith a retailer.
"The floor space required at both Bournemouth and Poole will take up half the store. It seems they just want all post offices gone.
"There will be a queue halfway round the Square, blocking pavements. The queue in Bournemouth post office now often reaches the door."
The Westbourne post office on Seamoor Road will be the only crown (non-franchised) office left inside the BH postcode.
Nationwide, up to 3,000 jobs could be lost with the closure of 70 branches. More than 30 people are currently employed in the Bournemouth and Poole town centre post office branches.
If readers go to the UKIP website you'll be able to see the truth behind the Post Offices closures.. yes its all down to the wonderful EU again ..isn't about time Britain stood up for its traditional way of life before its lost in the great EU invasion.
If readers go to the UKIP website you'll be able to see the truth behind the Post Offices closures.. yes its all down to the wonderful EU again ..isn't about time Britain stood up for its traditional way of life before its lost in the great EU invasion.
Why should anyone be surprised that this anti-British, Pro-Europe government are actively helping destroy the post office services just because the EU want "competition" Never mind the quality of service to the public is diminishing and the queues are increasing, who cares as longas we tow the Eu line ?
And don't expect any local politicians or councillors to oppose it, they are all useless anyway.
Why should anyone be surprised that this anti-British, Pro-Europe government are actively helping destroy the post office services just because the EU want "competition" Never mind the quality of service to the public is diminishing and the queues are increasing, who cares as longas we tow the Eu line ?
And don't expect any local politicians or councillors to oppose it, they are all useless anyway.
Posted by: John Leighs, Bournemouth on 10:55am Mon 23 Apr 07
"He asked why the decision to close the Bournemouth and Poole town centre post offices had not been challenged by local politicians"
The answer is that they know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it because the E.U. controls the levers of power right down to the local level via Whitehall.
"He asked why the decision to close the Bournemouth and Poole town centre post offices had not been challenged by local politicians"
The answer is that they know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it because the E.U. controls the levers of power right down to the local level via Whitehall.
Have the people who agree to these closures seen the queues of people every day who use the post offices? I am a regular user of the Bournemouth Post Office and dread to think how much worse the queues will be if the Post Office is run out of WHSmith. What an appalling idea. It is always [quote]the few[/quote] who make bad decisions for the majority - and I bet they have PA's who post their mail for them, so they have no idea what it is like to queue!
Have the people who agree to these closures seen the queues of people every day who use the post offices? I am a regular user of the Bournemouth Post Office and dread to think how much worse the queues will be if the Post Office is run out of WHSmith. What an appalling idea. It is always
the few
who make bad decisions for the majority - and I bet they have PA's who post their mail for them, so they have no idea what it is like to queue!
Why is it that a vast majority of people who take the time to write comments on any Daily Echo subject, bemoan the present government in power, when surely some of them must have helped to put them there. If people are so upset with this government, then surely the answer is simple, vote them out, not keep putting them back in, especially as we are soon to have another Prime Minister we do not want. As far as the EU is concerned, these same people must have voted yes to that too, so appear to have brought these woes upon themselves. I must admit I am against this present government and the Eu, but I voted for neither. [bold]bold[/bold]
Why is it that a vast majority of people who take the time to write comments on any Daily Echo subject, bemoan the present government in power, when surely some of them must have helped to put them there. If people are so upset with this government, then surely the answer is simple, vote them out, not keep putting them back in, especially as we are soon to have another Prime Minister we do not want. As far as the EU is concerned, these same people must have voted yes to that too, so appear to have brought these woes upon themselves. I must admit I am against this present government and the Eu, but I voted for neither.
Posted by: Martin, Bournemouth on 4:15pm Mon 23 Apr 07
Having just queued for 25 minutes in Winton PO (inside the Co Op, room for only three staff, but two present), it is obvious something has gone wrong, and as always our way of life is under threat from the EU. I used to go to Winton PO in Cardigan Road for my needs, where a staff of 6 or 7 were always kept busy.
I have been told that eBay is keeping the Post Office going, I can see why with the way they charge so much more now. Now if I have eBay items to send, I take them to Peter and Jenny at Columbia Road Post Office, leave them there to be dealt with, they ring me up and I go and pay - what a service.
However, more and more transactions are going online, like car taxation, TV licenses, and more. With this being done, there is less need to use the Post Office, as it seems to take account of numbers of persons using the service, or so I am told, to consider closure.
Surely, Bournemouth and Poole centres deserve post offices as a service to the community and visitors - what will the buildings now be used for? Possibly social housing or another wine bar/club. I can see the name "the Old Post Office" emblazoned across the front, and poledancers sprawled across the barriers where the queue once was, to entertain people in a way no Post Office could.
No, staying in the EU, where we are now toothless wonders has been a mistake; once we had an Empire - now we even have very few Post Offices - and they call this progress?
Having just queued for 25 minutes in Winton PO (inside the Co Op, room for only three staff, but two present), it is obvious something has gone wrong, and as always our way of life is under threat from the EU. I used to go to Winton PO in Cardigan Road for my needs, where a staff of 6 or 7 were always kept busy.
I have been told that eBay is keeping the Post Office going, I can see why with the way they charge so much more now. Now if I have eBay items to send, I take them to Peter and Jenny at Columbia Road Post Office, leave them there to be dealt with, they ring me up and I go and pay - what a service.
However, more and more transactions are going online, like car taxation, TV licenses, and more. With this being done, there is less need to use the Post Office, as it seems to take account of numbers of persons using the service, or so I am told, to consider closure.
Surely, Bournemouth and Poole centres deserve post offices as a service to the community and visitors - what will the buildings now be used for? Possibly social housing or another wine bar/club. I can see the name "the Old Post Office" emblazoned across the front, and poledancers sprawled across the barriers where the queue once was, to entertain people in a way no Post Office could.
No, staying in the EU, where we are now toothless wonders has been a mistake; once we had an Empire - now we even have very few Post Offices - and they call this progress?
dear post office bosses,,if u cant make a business pay,with all those people queuing to give u business every day.moving isn't going to solve your problem. is IT!!
dear post office bosses,,if u cant make a business pay,with all those people queuing to give u business every day.moving isn't going to solve your problem. is IT!!
Thanks Europe!! We freed you in 1945 and now we have to give up our Fishing grounds,Post Offices,Borders ,low paid jobs and even our proud national identity ..its very insulting to any TRUE BRITS that are left .
Thanks Europe!! We freed you in 1945 and now we have to give up our Fishing grounds,Post Offices,Borders ,low paid jobs and even our proud national identity ..its very insulting to any TRUE BRITS that are left .
Posted by: Rob, Pokesdown on 12:42am Tue 24 Apr 07
I have read all the anti-EU replies above, which blame Post Office closures on Europe
It was our Government, the ones in Whitehall, who took away the main source of revenue from the Post Office, benefit payments.
It was TV licencing who took that money making activity away
DVLA, another Government Department, removed further work in connection with vehicle tax discs
Post Office Counters and Royal Mail are two separate businesses, so complaints about changes to postal regimes do not affect the Post Offices
None of the above factors has any connection with the EU, but the Eurosceptics dont want to think about anything other than Eurobashing
I have read all the anti-EU replies above, which blame Post Office closures on Europe
It was our Government, the ones in Whitehall, who took away the main source of revenue from the Post Office, benefit payments.
It was TV licencing who took that money making activity away
DVLA, another Government Department, removed further work in connection with vehicle tax discs
Post Office Counters and Royal Mail are two separate businesses, so complaints about changes to postal regimes do not affect the Post Offices
None of the above factors has any connection with the EU, but the Eurosceptics dont want to think about anything other than Eurobashing
[quote][bold]John Leighs[/bold] wrote:
\"He asked why the decision to close the Bournemouth and Poole town centre post offices had not been challenged by local politicians\" The answer is that they know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it because the E.U. controls the levers of power right down to the local level via Whitehall.[/quote] With respect John, that is a pretty lame reason for local politicians to simply roll over and play dead. Are they our elected representatives or merely trained Parlour Poodles, apologies in advance to Poodle owners? They could have taken it to Parliament via the route of our MP's. Poole is a conservative controlled Council and our MP is a conservative, I saw him on the night of his election and then in a leaflet last week. I guess local Post Offices and Local jobs don't rate highly for him. Truth is, either our councillors are plain stupid, unimaginative, in someone's pockets perhaps, lack guts or are just not bothered with trying. The question is which one. We also have MEP's, a good deal of use they are. This isn't a Continental breakfast, more a dogs dinner!
John Leighs wrote:
\"He asked why the decision to close the Bournemouth and Poole town centre post offices had not been challenged by local politicians\" The answer is that they know there is absolutely nothing they can do about it because the E.U. controls the levers of power right down to the local level via Whitehall.
With respect John, that is a pretty lame reason for local politicians to simply roll over and play dead. Are they our elected representatives or merely trained Parlour Poodles, apologies in advance to Poodle owners? They could have taken it to Parliament via the route of our MP's. Poole is a conservative controlled Council and our MP is a conservative, I saw him on the night of his election and then in a leaflet last week. I guess local Post Offices and Local jobs don't rate highly for him. Truth is, either our councillors are plain stupid, unimaginative, in someone's pockets perhaps, lack guts or are just not bothered with trying. The question is which one. We also have MEP's, a good deal of use they are. This isn't a Continental breakfast, more a dogs dinner!
Beejay, i never voted for Labour, never have and never will. I oppose the EU, i can't see why we can't look after our own affairs. And hear, hear, Alec, all that sacrifice in the last war, all for nothing as the country has been taken apart by the anti-british lib-left establishment.
Beejay, i never voted for Labour, never have and never will. I oppose the EU, i can't see why we can't look after our own affairs. And hear, hear, Alec, all that sacrifice in the last war, all for nothing as the country has been taken apart by the anti-british lib-left establishment.
Posted by: June, Brittany, France on 5:11pm Tue 24 Apr 07
If, as you suggest, this is taking place due to EU rulings, why does the UK bend over backwards to comply with all these rules. Living in France I can tell you that from what I've seen here (and other European countries come to that) if the EU make a law France doesn't like it just takes no notice! About time Britain did the same!
If, as you suggest, this is taking place due to EU rulings, why does the UK bend over backwards to comply with all these rules. Living in France I can tell you that from what I've seen here (and other European countries come to that) if the EU make a law France doesn't like it just takes no notice! About time Britain did the same!
Posted by: Ian Walsh, Devon on 7:29pm Wed 25 Apr 07
In answer to June in Brittany.... the reason that our so called government act like lackeys of the EU and "bend over backwards to comply with all these rules."
is that the government IS actually the British Arm of the EU... Once this fact is grasped everything falls into place...BTW here is the directive from the EU's own website
that has led to Our post office closures. http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/legislation_en.htm#200239ec
In answer to June in Brittany.... the reason that our so called government act like lackeys of the EU and "bend over backwards to comply with all these rules."
is that the government IS actually the British Arm of the EU... Once this fact is grasped everything falls into place...BTW here is the directive from the EU's own website
that has led to Our post office closures. http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/post/legislation_en.htm#200239ec
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