Consultation over next six weeks on plans

The Post Office have announced a list of local branches which are likely to be closed including one on Chiswick High Road.

The branch at 110, Chiswick High Road is one of 169 in the capital which is to be shut. This is the one near Sainsbury's Local. There are concerns that this will put further pressure on the main Post Office at Heathfield Terrace. The larger branch has not been popular with residents and has the unwelcome distinction of being selected to be condemned to Room 101 by actress Sheila Hancock on the TV programme of the same name.

The Post Office will be consulting on the plan over the next six weeks but in previous instances the local consultations have not resulted in any changes in the original plans.

The Area Plan proposes future provision of Post Office services through a network of 681 branches across London, resulting in the closure of 169 branches. The criteria is that everyone in London will be within at least one mile of their nearest branch

The Government has already undertaken a 12-week national consultation before reaching a decision to reduce the UK wide network of Post Office branches by up to 2,500 from its current level of over 14,000.

Anita Turner, Post Office Ltd's Network Development Manager for London, said: "Taking the decision to close any Post Office branch is always very difficult and we know it will cause concern to many of our customers. We want to ensure that everyone who uses, relies on or has any concern with Post Office(R) services is both fully aware of the proposed changes and able to give views on them.

The Consultation is due to end on April 2, 2008.

February 22, 2008