By Gary Cooper

KIRRIEMUIR FOLK have given a firm “no” to plans to axe the town’s Southmuir post office.

They made their feelings known at a public meeting at Webster’s High School which attracted a large turnout of people opposed to closure.

And community council member Harry Racionzer hopes those who were there will seize the opportunity to write to the Post Office to ensure the organisation is in no doubt about the strength of support for the branch.

Mr Racionzer was one of two council members at the gathering, which he said voiced overwhelming backing for retaining the counter.

“At the end of the meeting pre-addressed envelopes were passed out for people to use to write in with their objections to the closure,” he said yesterday.

“While sitting down and composing a letter will take a bit of time and effort, I would urge everyone who received the envelope to do so.

“It might be the only letter they have written in many years, but it is such an important one to send.”

Mr Racionzer estimated that 60 to 80 people attended the meeting, which also involved Angus Council officials and elected members, a Postwatch representative and MP Mike Weir.

“The mood was absolutely against closure,” he said. “There was a lot of concern that closure would mean having to travel to the main post office at Reform Street.

“If you don’t have a car you have to rely on a bus and they are seldom on time, so the whole exercise there and back will be very time-consuming.

“For older people and disabled people it’s not easy for them to get into town if they don’t have access to a car.

“People were there because they were very concerned about the future and we were all pretty well on the same side.”

Community council chairman Roland Proctor said the message from his organisation was unequivocal.

“We are against closure of Southmuir post office. It was discussed at our last meeting and everybody was unanimous that it must stay,” he said.

“If closure is allowed to go ahead it would be another erosion of services for the rural community.

“What I don’t understand is the town’s getting bigger, more houses are getting built, but they’re talking about closing down facilities.

“I could see the point if the town was shrinking, but it’s not.

“Closure of Southmuir would mean just one post office left in the town. That can’t be allowed to happen.”

Mike Weir said the turnout demonstrated the strength of feeling over the closure plan and people’s fears it may affect the future viability of the shop in which the post office is located.

The MP said people at the meeting raised “many valid and important points” regarding difficulties caused by it shutting.

“It is utterly ridiculous to believe that one post office can serve the whole of the town of Kirriemuir,” he added.

He felt reaching Reform Street on foot from Southmuir would present a major hurdle for elderly people and parents with prams.

“The Post Office consultation document laughingly calls the terrain ‘hilly’,” Mr Weir said.

“That is rather an understatement, as anyone who has walked up and down either Bellies Brae or Tannage Brae can readily testify.

“Difficult as such a route is for the able-bodied, it would be almost impossible for those with mobility problems, doubly so given the inadequacy of some of the pavements.”

He said it was vital that individuals made their views known directly to the Post Office during the consultation period, which runs to July 8.

“Petitions show the strength of feeling but, if we are to succeed, we must also show the Post Office the great negative effects the closure will have on the community,” he added.