By Aileen Robertson

A GROUP of Inverkeithing women campaigning for their local post office to be kept open have handed over a petition with 1200 signatures.

The post office on the village’s Fraser Avenue is one of nine facing closure if proposals to “modernise” postal services go ahead.

Inverkeithing East and North Queensferry Councillor Jim Philp met some of the women outside the shop yesterday to accept the petition and hear their concerns.

Dunfermline East MSP Helen Eadie also turned up to offer her support.

At the start of December it was announced that nine out of 43 Post Office branches in Fife would be closed, with most of those earmarked for closure located in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy.

The news has been met with anger from councillors and local politicians.

Post Office Limited said at the time that too many branches were competing for too little business and were experiencing increased running costs.

Isabella Laing, who led the campaign to gather local support for a petition, said opinion was unanimously against closing the Fraser Avenue branch.

Ms Laing has lived in the area for 35 years and said the post office, which has been at the premises for 40 years, was a vital keystone for the community.

She said, “I’m just disgusted at the planned closure of the post office.

“There are a lot of young people with wee kids and elderly people who regularly use the post office. Most use it every week.

“There are also disabled people who get their cheques there and are not able to trail up to the High Street branch.”

Councillor Philp explained that if the Fraser Avenue branch was to close, the residents’ nearest post office would be on Inverkeithing High Street, an estimated half a mile away.

He said, “Some people will not be able to make the walk up to the High Street.

“Having a post office several bus stops away is not as good as having one on your doorstep.

“Going to the post office is a social occasion for some people, a weekly opportunity to get out into the community.

“Also, when people use the post office, they use the shops next door. These traders have to make a living and this could mean they get less customers coming through their doors.”

Praising the women’s determination, Councillor Philp said, “These ladies went round over the Christmas and New Year period getting signatures and I can only commend them for their efforts.

Fife Council’s west area services committee is currently in the process of collating information from all local councillors involved in campaigning to save local postal services.

The next step is to present this to Post Office Limited and industry watchdog Postwatch Scotland.

Councillor Philp said a copy of the petition would be given to Helen Eadie, who has offered to present it to the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee.