Heartbreak and devastation as post offices shut down (From Gazette & Herald)

Heartbreak and devastation as post offices shut down

POST office operators have reacted with horror to the raid at Helmsley and those who have quit have expressed their sorrow at having to do so.

At Nawton, postmistresss Helen Greening said she was heartbroken she had to give up.

"It was a decision we did not take lightly. People really are quite upset that they have lost the post office, but without exception they have said they can understand why we have made this decision.

"We had immense support after the burglary happened, and from the reaction when I told everyone they are pretty devastated. I had anticipated the shop and post office would be here permanently, it was becoming a vital part of the community."

David Sell, who has resigned from Hovingham post office which was hit by robbers armed with knives in 2000, compared the trauma of being raided with his mother's death. "It was my dream of running a post office and stores in this lovely village among fantastic people," he said.

"But I am responsible for my staff, and to see their faces when we heard about Helmsley, and the trauma we actually went through before, it's on a par with the death of my mother, you have to put it up there.

"My main concern at this point is to apologise to the village and the surrounding community for the inconvenience of closing the post office - we want to stress that the shop is and does remain open," he said. "Five years ago I would never have believed this was possible."

At Brandsby, Mr Wright said: "I lived in Brandsby 20 years ago, and I came back nearly two years ago.

"Lindsey was going to run the post office and shop but it's a lot of hard work for £48 a week - now I would not do it for £150 a week.

"We have two young children and one on the way, and we have decided we are going to shut it completely." Advice from the Post Office had been non-existent, said Mr Wright.

"I rang up to say we were thinking of stopping, and they did not give us any support or back-up, no security. They have not even been in touch with us this week. I am bewildered really, it's disbelief. The Post Office have not even given me a number to ring."

His customers will have to travel more than two miles to Stillington for postal services.

There is a mood of great nervousness among Ryedale postmasters and mistresses following the Helmsley raid. One, who asked not to be named had already been targeted and robbed and faced the future with apprehension.

Terrington postmaster Ian Hughes was more forthcoming. "Things are very bad at the moment," he said. "There is a lot of nervousness, but it's our livelihood and at the end of the day it's the community which suffers." He made a plea for everyone who lived in villages with post offices to be extra vigilant. "You can tell if someone's up to no good. If you see anything suspicious don't wait, but call the police. You must do it because peoples' live are at risk."

Mr Hughes has invested in extra security devices with the help of the police. "The local police have been brilliant," he said. "It would have been nice, though, to have heard something from the Post Office."

Concern over security is shared by Kirby Misperton postmistress Amanda Watson. She opens for two hours a day for four days a week. Mrs Watson warns villagers not to investigate if the alarms are going, but to dial 999 straight away.

When she took over the post office a couple of years ago, Mrs Watson upgraded security and now has panic alarms, bullet-proof glass and other security measures. She runs the post office as a service to the community rather than a profitable business. "I have always said that if there was an attempt or a robbery I would close up. I can't put my family at risk. I'm sure the village would understand."

Updated: 11:43 Wednesday, January 22, 2003