"Please back save Rotherham post office” campaign plea to councillors

Rotherham Borough Council will discuss a motion from Cllr Taiba Yasseen proposing members call on the Government to reverse the proposals to close the Bridgegate branch.

The move would leave customers having to travel to Sheffield for key services and the branch will close altogether unless a shopkeeper comes forward to house the facility and run it as a franchise.

The motion said: “We are concerned there are limited options for a franchise partner in town, meaning a closure is likely if this route is pursued.

“The Post Office network has been reduced by more than 50 per cent over the past 30 years and this is a step too far. Rotherham Post Office is very well used and the decision would be detrimental to customers.

“We call on the council to write to the Post Office and Government outlying our concerns and encourage all members to sign and promote the petition against this decision.”

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion called the announcement “outrageous,” while council leader Chris Read labelled the plans “absurd”.

Ms Champion said: “The Government has made the announcement before it even responded to a consultation it held on the Post Office last year, which is totally unacceptable.

“Rotherham deserves better. The closures can only be seen as a systematic attack on our local services at a time Government should be investing in our infrastructure, not stripping it away.”

Roger Gale, sales and trade marketing director at the Post Office, said: “We will take time to identify the right partners over the coming months and all proposals will be subject to local consultation.”