... and one that has been saved

The residents of South End Green in Hampstead are celebrating a rare victory. Their post office is one of the few to have been saved from the cull of London branches.

But fighting the decision was not easy. Of the hundreds of closures planned across London only 16 have been saved. The Post Office agreed to keep South End Green branch open only after pressure from councillors, traders and the residents' association.

The South End Green Association organised a 1,500-name petition opposing the plan and more than 150 people attended a public meeting to discuss the closure.

The Association's Michael Render said the post office was at the centre of the neighbourhood. "It is absolutely essential for maintaining the community. We had already lost our local bank thanks to Barclays," he said.

He added: "It's a small parade of shops and the post office was essential to draw the public.

"If you lose the post office, the neighbourhood loses its attraction to shoppers."