Three Nottinghamshire Post Offices have been listed for closure and re-location to other shops as part of a nationwide overhaul.
Offices in Mansfield and Stapleford are subject to six-week consultations and the branch in Burton Joyce has already undergone a consultation with a final decision due.
Customers and local politicians say they are concerned some Post Office branch services could be lost in the changes and neighbouring businesses could lose trade.
In Mansfield, the town’s Executive Mayor Kate Allsop criticised the plan to close the town’s White Hart Street Post Office and instead open counters in the WH Smith Branch in the Four Seasons shopping centre.
She said: “The White Hart Street and Church Street area is a vital part of the town centre with many independent retailers who rely on footfall.
“The current location of the Post Office helps to maintain footfall in this area and supports them.”
When asked about the plan behind all three closures, a Post Office spokesman said they were needed to make sure branches were “sustainable into the future”, and added the same counter services would be available at Mansfield after the move.
“Like any business, we are not immune to factors such as rising property costs and changing customer habits with more online transactions,” the spokesman added.
“We can’t expect taxpayers to subsidise loss-making branches and some of our current ‘stand alone’ branches cannot sustain into the future.”
The Post Office remains in public ownership, although Royal Mail was split off and privatised in 2013.
Although it has closed branches, the business has also re-located most of them and even extended opening hours at new locations.
In Stapleford, the plan is to close the Church Street branch and instead offer services at the till inside Bargain Booze on Derby Road.
Some local people have expressed concern at the move, with Sharon Bosworth commenting on the Stapleford Community Group page: “Within an off-licence is a definite NO. It would be like going into a minefield with small children, pushchairs and shopping trolleys.”
The Burton Joyce Post Office is due to shut at 47 Main Street in favour of two counters inside number 53 – the Delights of Burton Joyce deli and gift shop.
“An extra half hour opening on Saturday proposed is certainly welcome,” said Burton Joyce Village Society chairman Steve Wright, “and the new location is still very central. In fact, there have been problems for years because of the steep slope outside the door of the present Post Office, and that will be easier at the new address.
“However, we have an unusually high proportion of elderly people in the village, which means that many have mobility problems and a surprising number of people here are not on the internet.
“This means that services like international parcels, transcash, and the passport checking and sending system will be significant losses to many in Burton Joyce.
“We are urging the Post Office management to keep those services locally.”
