Published: Wednesday, 6th August, 2008 12:00
Crook of Devon is saved from Post Office axe
By Jamie MacDonald
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THE community in Crook of Devon received a welcome boost last week with the news that their Post Office services would be retained in the village shop – but Muckhart and Fairyburn Post Offices will close.
A storm of local protest greeted the announcement in May that the postal services offered at the Fossoway Store in Crook of Devon were to be withdrawn with a mobile service calling twice a week for a few hours as a replacement.
A public meeting during the consultation period over the closures was attended by around 150 locals along with Post Office officials.
At the meeting members of the public made it clear exactly how important Crook of Devon Post Office is to the community.
In addition to the meeting, a 700 strong petition was handed in to Downing Street and members of Muckhart Community Council backed Crook of Devon Post Office over their village’s own service.
The Post Office appeared to back down on the mobile service due to the expected increase in traffic levels in the village once the ‘Clackmannanshire Bridge’ opens. Residents had highlighted the danger of the proposed stopping place next to the main road.
Andrew Shearer, sub-post master at Crook of Devon, told the Advertiser, “The fact it is going to remain in the shop is tremendous.
“The community has carried out a fantastic appeal and we are delighted we are one of the post offices to become a partnership.
“I do feel sorry for all the rest that are closing. The Post Office have listened to the community and have changed their opinion.”
The service provided will change from having a Post Office to a partner service which will still run from the existing shop.
The partner service will not provide all the services of a Post Office but it will provide the core postal service such as posting packages and paying in money, and it will be open during the shop’s opening hours of 8am until 6pm.
Trudy Duffy-Wigman, secretary of Fossoway and District Community Council, told the Advertiser, “It has been a wonderful community effort and I would like to thank local politicians such as Gordon Banks and Keith Brown and councillors – particularly Muckhart Community Council – for everything they have done.
“We won’t have to stand in the rain at the side of the road waiting on a van but it is now our responsibility to use it.”
The Post Offices in Muckhart and Fairyburn in Alloa are expected to close in September as part of a drive by the British Government to close 2500 Post Offices nationally.
Muckhart’s service will be replaced by a mobile van – similar to the original plan for Crook of Devon – calling into the village for two hours a week at Coronation Hall.
Users of Fairyburn will soon have to travel to Alloa town centre to find their nearest Post Office.
MP for Ochil and South Perthshire Gordon Banks said, “I understand the current sub-postmaster for Crook of Devon has signed up to the agreements and I trust that it will be well received in the community. I am happy to have been able to support the community council and individuals in this campaign.”
He added, “It is disappointing that closure has not been reversed at these other offices.”
MSP for Ochil Keith Brown also welcomed the announcement.
He said, “I am obviously delighted that the people living in Crook of Devon will still have access to a postal service.
“There is a bit of devil in the detail, but under the circumstances, it’s good news for the village. The community really came together to defend their post office.
“The communities that have now lost their local post office will be rightly disappointed.
“I have no time for anyone in the UK Government who says the network is ‘unviable’ when they have been in charge of letting the situation get like that.”
Elizabeth Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said the solution for Crook of Devon was still not ideal and criticised the government for “this blatant attack on the fabric of our communities”.
She added, “The fact that Post Office Ltd have been forced to think again has been down to the excellent campaign run by local people.
“These closures are an even greater injustice because it is the Labour Government which has removed so much business from the post office network – from pensions and benefits to paying for TV licences and car tax.”
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