Post Office to close 15 branches

Post Office Ltd has confirmed 15 post office branches in Lincolnshire which were earmarked for closure are to shut.

This includes nine branches which will be replaced by an outreach service - either a mobile facility or a post office within other premises.

The first closures are scheduled to take place in January.

The company identified branches which it said were no longer viable, pointing out most customers would still be within a mile of a post office.

'Difficult decisions'

The Ryhall Road branch in Stamford has been reprieved after a review of issues raised during a public consultation.

Four million fewer people were using their local post office each week compared with two years ago and Post Office losses rose from £2m a week in 2005 to £4m a week last year, a Post Office spokesman said.

Mark Partington, Post Office Limited's network development manager for the East Midlands, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.

"We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation.

"We believe that the amended plan offers our customers across the East Midlands area the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the government's minimum access criteria and the other factors the government has asked us to consider."