Post office closure goes ahead

Dawn Wilcox said she has had support from across the community

A disabled woman from Ebbw Vale has lost her battle to stop her local post office from closing.

But Dawn Wilcox said she feels she has won a moral victory and hopes to persuade the Post Office that there is still a local need.

Willowtown post office, opening for the final time on Wednesday, is one of five in Blaenau Gwent set to close.

Ms Wilcox had hoped to take court action but her application for legal aid is still being processed.

She said: "I'm extremely disappointed but I don't see this as a defeat, we have established that there is a local community need.

"Perhaps in the future, another post office can open in the same area?"

Ms Wilcox, who uses a wheelchair and crutches, relies on the post office for bill payments, licence renewals and convenience shopping and had wanted to mount a legal challenge the Post Office over its consultation procedure.

Post Office Ltd said it was satisfied that the consultation was undertaken in accordance with its obligations.

Protesters against post office closures in Ebbw Vale last December

The Royal Mail announced in March that five post offices in the area were to close - Badminton Grove, Beaufort Hill, Garnlydan, Waunlwynd and Willowtown,

But the Cefn Golau and Rassau offices were spared after consultation, partly because they were in deprived communities.

Almost 1,000 local people had signed a petition, including young mothers, the elderly and other disabled people.

Earlier this week, the assembly government announced £1 million in funding to maintain 30 post offices in deprived and rural areas across Wales.

A spokeswoman for Post Office Ltd said that would include money for the complete refurbishment of the main Ebbw Vale post office.

The money is also intended to encourage postmasters and post mistresses to increase and diversify the range of services they offer the community.