Today Postmasters are set to call for urgent government action to safeguard the network of rural post offices.
A petition of 4 million names will be handed into Downing Street and the National Federation of SubPostmasters will hold a rally in London. It says income lost from some services may threaten the network’s future. The post office network is losing £200m a year and the government is widely expected to require some closures as part of a subsidy renewal agreement. The government says the 800 smallest post offices are used by an average of 16 people a week, and that the rural network is currently supported by an annual subsidy of £150m.