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Council sees post office reopened | |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A post office that shut under a national closure programme has reopened its doors after receiving help from the local county council. | |
The branch at Buckhurst Hill, Essex, closed eight months ago, one of hundreds across Britain already shut down under a review of the network. | |
Based in a convenience store, the Post Office is the first to be reopened with the help of a council. | |
The Post Office said it had negotiated with Essex council for "many months". | The Post Office said it had negotiated with Essex council for "many months". |
The council is not allowed to subsidise the business, but it is providing grants that can be used to make modifications to the shop. When we closed a lot of my customers told me how strongly they felt about it and I had a lot of support Praful Chavda, shop owner | |
Essex County Council has set aside £1.5m with the aim of opening up to 15 branches which closed in the county. | Essex County Council has set aside £1.5m with the aim of opening up to 15 branches which closed in the county. |
Now 150 councils have contacted Essex about adopting similar rescue plans in their areas. | Now 150 councils have contacted Essex about adopting similar rescue plans in their areas. |
Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, officially opened the branch and purchased stamps from Praful Chavda who runs the store where the post office is based. | |
He then used these to send a postcard to Gordon Brown informing him that the post office was open for business. | |
Mr Chavda said his customers would be pleased that a post office counter would be available again. | |
"When we closed a lot of my customers told me how strongly they felt about it and I had a lot of support," he said. | "When we closed a lot of my customers told me how strongly they felt about it and I had a lot of support," he said. |
"It was a great shame we had to close, so when the opportunity came along from Essex County Council to reopen, I was pleased to accept the opportunity. | "It was a great shame we had to close, so when the opportunity came along from Essex County Council to reopen, I was pleased to accept the opportunity. |
"Once word got around that we were reopening, I have had such positive comments from residents it has been really pleasing." | "Once word got around that we were reopening, I have had such positive comments from residents it has been really pleasing." |
The council said that in many parts of Essex, the sub-post office was an important community facility as well as a commercial business. | |
Ongoing closures | Ongoing closures |
Lord Hanningfield said: "Post offices are at the heart of our communities and they play a vital role to many of our most vulnerable. | |
"This is exactly what effective local government should be doing - identifying local needs and priorities and delivering on them for local people. | |
"Essex County Council is setting the benchmark in delivering what its residents want. | |
"The model used now provides a blueprint, should they wish, for others to follow. | |
"However, one thing is clear - with the reopening of this branch, no-longer is it correct to speak of a national closure programme numbering 2,500. | |
"I'm delighted that Essex has bucked the trend." | |
A Post Office spokesman said: "The Post Office has been in a constructive dialogue with Essex County Council for many months and we wish them every success in their venture." | A Post Office spokesman said: "The Post Office has been in a constructive dialogue with Essex County Council for many months and we wish them every success in their venture." |
The BBC's local government correspondent, John Andrew, said the decision followed "long and sometimes tortuous negotiations" between the council and Post Office Limited. | |
"Some could reopen as counters in libraries or in community halls," he said. |