Charlotte Leslie outside Avenue Fuit and Veg with former owners
A campaign designed to strengthen local support for the vital post office services across Bristol has been launched.
The campaign is being lead by Charlotte Leslie, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Bristol North West.
Conservatives from across Bristol and South Gloucestershire – including Chris Skidmore, the Parliamentary Candidate for Kingswood – will also be rolling the campaign out across the entire area.
It centres on a constituency-wide door-to-door petition, as well as a series of ‘Use it or Lose it’ publicity drives to support local branches. Bristol North West will be a major focus for the initial roll out of activity. Charlotte has already delivered more than 15,000 petitions against
further post office closure.
Meanwhile, Bristol Conservatives will be distributing more than 10,000 leaflets promoting the importance of using specific post offices under threat, as well as surveys inviting submissions to save the post office.
One of the latest to support the campaign is Cath Branfield, former owner of Avenue Fruit and Veg on Filton Avenue, which has recently just shut its doors to business.
Welcoming the initiative Cath said:
“This is a much needed campaign. Post offices are at the heart of local communities. Since the post office on Filton Avenue closed, business has plummeted and some of us have had to close.
“Now, very sadly, I’ve had to shut up shop only last week. It is too late for me now, but we must fight to keep post offices alive for the services they provide, and the small businesses and communities they support.”
Charlotte stressed the importance of people using local post offices. She said:
“A further 2,500 post offices are to close within a year. Now is the time for people to use their local branch as there can be little doubt that sales figures will determine which branches survive and which perish. We must keep sales figures up.”
Chris Skidmore, the prospective Conservative MP for Kingswood will also be petitioning local areas affected by planned closures, as well as organising a march from post offices under threat to the nearest available post office, in order to highlight the distance elderly people will have to walk if the closures take place.
Chris said: “Our local post offices are an invaluable resource. Many elderly residents are dependent upon them.
“Post offices are often at the heart of the local community, and many nearby shops rely on their trade. Closing valuable branches only adds to the stripping of much needed local services that has already taken place.”
