Post Office branch closures result in chaos

The extent of the decline in the number of London post offices can be revealed today.

Five postcode areas in the capital have only one remaining branch, an Evening Standard survey reveals.

A further 14 areas have been left with only two outlets. More than a quarter of London's 1,163 post offices - 310 - have closed or will do so by the end of the year under a radical restructuring of the lossmaking business. But this has outragedresidents and MPs, who say post offices provide a lifeline to the elderly and less well-off, and help to attract trade to local shops.

Independent watchdog Postwatch says the demise of so many branches has caused huge queues at those still open - providing customers with an even worse service than before.

The five areas with only a single post office are W14 (West Kensington), NW8 (St John's Wood), SW5 (Earl's Court), SW10 (Chelsea) and SE8 (Deptford). Postcodes with only two branches include N6 (Highgate), N11 (New Southgate), SE4 (Brockley) and SW14 (East Sheen).

In West Kensington, an elderly couple are running the remaining post office in Blythe Road, serving an estimated 48,000 people. They say they can barely stop for lunch and are unable to take a holiday because of the cost of getting cover.

Fearing for their business, they declined to speak out. But their local councillor Greg Hands said: "It's absolutely dreadful. I'm inundated with complaints from residents who queue for anything up to an hour."

Most of the offices under threat are franchised sub-post offices. But a number of higher profile branches - formerly known as "Crown" post offices - have gone, including Fleet Street, Marble Arch and Great Portland Street.

There are many more proposed closures, including 12 in Wandsworth, 11 in Camden, nine in Bromley, six in Croydon, and five in Kensington and Chelsea.

Eight thousands residents, supported by famous names such as Damon Albarn, Helen Fielding, Ruby Wax and Tony Benn - a former Postmaster General - signed a petition protesting at the proposed closure of the Notting Hill branch. In Greenwich, campaigners parked a tank outside one post office.

Postwatch has managed to get 18 closures reversed and longer opening hours and extra staff at those taking on extra business.

A spokeswoman for the Post Office said it aimed to ensure customers had a branch within a mile of their home. It made a £194 million loss last year, and has been hit by the Government's decision to pay pensions and benefits direct to recipients' bank accounts.