You can help to save our Post Office by e-mailing your thoughts on why we must retain the Post Office and shop. Just type your comments in the message box below, remember to add your e-mail address. We will collate all the replies and make sure your comments get to the right place. With your permission we will publish your comments here, please indicate in your comments if you do not wish your messgage to be published, in any case names will not be shown.

• Some of the Responses Received

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The Post Office, along with the Government who own Post Office Ltd, are embarking on a closure programme of 2500 offices nationwide in an attempt to save on costs. Our area will be surveyed by the Post Office in December to decide which offices are to close.

Link to Post Office Consultation site

I can confirm that offices which are “Not envisaged being closed” in this area will be South Petherton, Martock and Ilminster. As far as the rest of us are concerned we are all so to speak in the melting pot.

So what can you as a villager do to help? Well – there are lots of things – many of which you may well do already, and it may make a vital difference to our survival if you carry on doing them. You can pay many bills – British Telecom, Inland Revenue, council tax, rent, Electricity bill, Water Rates, etc. at the Post Office . Some villagers have cancelled direct debits with South Somerset DC and now pay it weekly or monthly at the Post Office.

You can get cash from the Post Office if you bank with one of our partner banks – Barclays, Lloyds, Alliance & Leicester, Co-Op, Nationwide, and usually pay in cash or cheques as well.

Also REMEMBER we sell Euros on demand (no waiting for it to arrive next day) and can order any other currency or travellers cheques for you – which WILL arrive the next day ! Come and pick up a brochure for Travel, Car, Van, & Home Insurance and phone for a quote. It all helps to keep us viable

What will happen if a village is to lose its Post Office.

In most cases the shop side of the business will close as customers will travel to the town to collect money, post packets and at the same time do their shopping. Hence the shop becomes un-viable.

Villagers lose:

• An asset to the sale of their property.
• A shop on the doorstep for that forgotten pint of milk.
• A drop off point for delivery drivers to leave post when there’s no one at home to receive it.
• A look out for the elderly.
• The heart of their community