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| Parliamentary candidate Terry Scriven (left), Brian Dash (right) with Richard Cox |
Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for The New Forest East Constituency, Terry Scriven, has visited Hythe post office to find out about the pressures involved in running a successful business.
Accompanied by local County Councillor, Brian Dash, Terry met with the Post Office Manager, Richard Cox. It was explained that all Post Offices are experiencing a stiff challenge to stay in business, largely as a result of a series of government initiatives that have led to less people having to visit Post Offices.
Whenever a Post Office closes it has a serious impact on the community. It’s a serious blow to local people, especially the more vulnerable people. Independent research shows that for every £10 spent at a post office, a further £6.20 is spent on goods and services in the area. The impact of a closure on small and medium businesses within half a mile of a Post Office closure is estimated at a drop in turnover of £270,000 a year.
Terry Scriven says “Post Offices are part of the fabric of our communities. It is something of a myth that rural post offices are the hardest hit. Although a lot of rural branches are struggling to survive, urban branches are also under enormous pressure. There have been over 2,500 branch closures in the past 2 years. Eight urban branches have closed to every one rural outlet”.
Liberal Democrats want the government to cease Post Office closures and to enhance the role of the outlets so that they are able to trade more profitably.
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