Rural post offices face ‘Armageddon’

RURAL post offices face ‘armageddon’ without a £50million bailout, campaigners warned Monday, November 23.

Campaigners are calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to extend the annual subsidy after April 2021, when it is due to expire.

The cash keeps afloat 3,100 branches that are too small to make a profit and are now being battered by the pandemic.

Andy Furey, of the Communications Workers’ Union, said, ‘We’re already at a tipping point,  if we don’t get the subsidy it’s armageddon.’

Peter Hall, of the National Federation for Sub-Postmasters, said, ‘We’re not scaremongering when we say that there would be many closures if it were removed.’

Post offices sit at the heart of rural life and have performed a vital role during the Covid-19 crisis, providing a friendly face and basic provisions to vulnerable customers unable to travel on public transport.

They were given ‘essential’ status by the Government allowing them to remain open during both national lockdowns.

Dozens of stories have emerged of postmasters going above and beyond to help elderly customers, including checking on those living by themselves or arranging shopping deliveries.

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