By Graeme Cleland

RURAL AND small urban post offices in Tayside face a bleak future according to a local post office manager.

Figures released by the Liberal Democrats and Conservative Party have painted a grim picture of closures in the near future, with the possibility of up to 72 out of 95 disappearing in Tayside alone.

The manager of the Monifieth sub post office—who did not wish to be named—told The Courier it was becoming increasingly difficult to operate a counter.

“The way it’s going now there is no future for small post offices such as ours,” he said. “The Government are making it very hard for us by taking services elsewhere.

“There are fewer people coming in as more and more things are done online, or are made available in other outlets.

“It is certainly not a secure future for anyone who runs a post office at the moment.”

However, the manager said he believed post offices should be retained as the hub for small communities to carry out their business.

“I think people need some sort of manned post office where they can talk to people and get help.

“Many older people in particular struggle with new technology like chip and pin cards.

“Using payment books is much easier for them to understand, and they also build up a trust with the people who work in their local post offices.”

Thousands of sub post offices across the country are experiencing similar problems after many of their services were switched to other outlets such as supermarkets or made available on the internet.

It is estimated 6500 of the 8000 rural post offices in the UK are loss-making.

Although 25 million people use the UK’s post office network every week, Post Office Ltd made an operating loss of £111 million last year.

Government funding of around £150 million supports the rural network.

However this is due to end in March 2008.

After this small post offices could be in danger of closure.

Ian Mortimer, chairman of Monifieth Community Council, said it would be “a devastating blow” if the town were to lose its post office.

“However, the post office in Monifieth is very well used so I can’t see that it would be in any danger,” he said.

Postwatch, the postal services watchdog, has been putting pressure on the Government to divulge its plans for the post office network.

The body indicated to The Courier last night it believed an announcement was imminent.

Millie Bannerjee, chairwoman of Postwatch, commented, “We want customers to continue to be able to access post office services.

“Unless changes are made, access for some customers in rural and deprived urban areas will be jeopardised by unplanned post office closures.”

Postcomm, the postal services regulator, has also called for a clear plan to address the issues affecting the network.

It warned that without clear direction from Government the problems would escalate.

The organisation indicated that its research had uncovered “a distinct change for the worse” over the past year in the mood and expectations of those involved in the Post Office network.

Despite a rise in gross pay, the number of sub-postmasters who are not confident about the future has increased to 72% from 60% last year.