Graham Stuart MP needs your help to resist Beverley Post Office plans
Wed 31st October 2018
It was recently announced that the Crown Post Office in Beverley will close and services are to be moved into the nearby W H Smith store as part of a plan to relocate Post Offices across the country. This proposal will be subject to a public consultation, the dates of which are yet to be announced.
Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, immediately contacted the Chief Executive of the Post Office to express disappointment at the proposal which in his view is unworkable. He also took up the issue with Kelly Tolhurst MP, the Minister responsible for the Post Office. In tandem with this East Riding Councillors for Minster and Woodmansey and St Mary’s Wards got to work opposing the Post Office move by starting a petition which is available to sign at the Beverley and Holderness Conservative Association office at 9 Cross Street in the town.
On Saturday 27th October the MP accompanied by the town’s East Riding Councillors were out in force on Toll Gavel in Beverley for one of Graham’s popular and regular Street Surgeries where the main topic of discussion with shoppers was the proposed move of the Post Office into smaller premises.
Graham commented: “Nearly everyone needs the services of a Crown Post Office, whether that’s to return packages to online retailers, use the Passport Check and Sign service, or post presents to family and friends. There’s always a queue when I go in. Hundreds of people signed the petition on Saturday morning. It’s clear that feelings are running high against this proposal. I will continue to do all I can to support my constituents on this issue by lobbying the Post Office and the Minister.
“I want to make sure we’re ready to jump into action against the Post Office’s proposals when the public consultation is announced. This means we need to collect as many petition signatures as possible, and as many individual letters or emails as we can muster. I urge everyone to write to me at 9 Cross St, Beverley HU17 9AX, or email me at grahamstuartmp@parliament.uk with the reasons why the Post Office should stay where it is. I will personally deliver the pile of objections to the Chief Executive of the Post Office to make it abundantly clear why we need to retain the Crown Post Office in Register Square; but I do need everyone’s help to make the best argument possible.”
East Riding of Yorkshire Councillor for St Mary’s ward Elaine Aird commented:
“Councillors Kerri Harold, David Elvidge and I, joined Graham on Saturday morning at his Street Surgery. Nearly everyone wanted to talk about the possible move of the Crown Post Office in Register Square to W H Smith on Toll Gavel. No one I spoke to thought it was an idea which could work. I know disabled people, and those who use wheelchairs cannot see how they could access postal services if they have to navigate the narrow aisles in Smiths.
“The weather was cold and wet on Saturday but it didn’t deter shoppers stopping at the Street Surgery to sign our petition calling for the Post Office to change its mind. We got literally hundreds of signatures. Petitions are available to sign at the Beverley and Holderness Conservative Association office at 9 Cross Street. We want as many people as possible to sign up so we can make sure the Post Office is in no doubt that residents of Beverley believe the Post Office should stay where it is in Register Square.”
