There is something iconic about Post Office closures that creates a great deal of heat and not much light. Post Offices are important parts of local parades of shops that provide every day services such as the newspaper and dry cleaning. But, according to Post Offices Ltd. the problem is we do not use them enough.
I suppose the fact is that Post Offices are a metaphor for a wider appeal to “Save Our Shops”.
Does this man more closures for Kingston – probably? Do we know how many – no, because there is now an extended period of review before the results of that review are known? Will politicians be running around trying to save them – of course?
7 Comments
May 30, 2007 at 4:10 pm
It all puzzles me too,I am in rcpt of my pension but it is paid direct to my Bank.
Thus I cannot remember when I last used a Post Office as stamps are available at many outlets and postal orders are an esoteric product used mainly by ethnic minorities,so who uses the PO and what on earth do they buy that cannot be bought at Tescos?
May 31, 2007 at 10:31 am
Basil Rock,
There are stores other than Tesco that Joe Public can use to buy all sorts of products. Not everyone has a Bank Account for their pensions to be paid into and we all should have an outward view and not think only what is good for us.
May 31, 2007 at 2:13 pm
True Beryl,but Tesco is the best.Why are there people without Bank Accounts?Surely they dont use cash,that does not sound very secure to me.
May 31, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Tesco is the best in your opinion, not everyone has the same view. You cannot force people to have bank accounts and if they choose to use cash with any perceived risk that, surely, is their affair and not yours. It appears to me that you are trying to keep a back and forth exchange. Choose someone else who has as much time to waste as you appear to have.
June 8, 2007 at 5:42 pm
I thought I had.
November 13, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Hi, you might be interested in my blog http://afterthepostoffice.wordpress.com
It’s my final year project to design an outreach service for rural communities. I’ve been looking at in from a designers point of view, and Sian is right, it’s not about figures, you have to look visually at what the problem is…the fact that a post office is 3 miles from a rural community does not mean it is easy to get there, the roads could be in bad condition, weather could be bad, the user could be elderly, the transport system may not be great etc. Anyway I’d appreciate if you’d have a look and see what you think, I’m developing some concepts at the moment and the feedback would be great. xx
November 14, 2008 at 10:48 am
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the post on my blog. I think there are a couple of things you could do.
Have you thought of creating your survey online and then sending it out virally to people. I for one would be happy to send a link to the people I have on my email list and I am sure you could email MP’s and ask them to do the same. Try out Survey Monkey or Polldaddy to set it up.
Have you thought of trying to find a rural post office that wants to work with you. I am aware of a couple in my area who trying to become community shops with a post office and it might be they have some good ideas.
Hope this helps.