Petition to Safeguard Rural Post Office Collects Over 2,000 Signatures

A petition initiated to protect a rural post office from potential closure has accumulated more than 2,000 signatures. The Stricklandgate branch in Kendal, Cumbria, was identified on a list of 115 branches considered at risk. The Post Office indicated it is evaluating options for its wholly-owned branches across the country, which collectively employ approximately 1,000 individuals. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, who launched the petition, stated he was “deeply alarmed” by the threat of closure. In the petition, Farron asserted that the Post Office is a “vital service” that needs to remain “where it is” or be provided with “suitable premises.” He wrote, “We can’t go back to thinking it can be downsized and stuck in the back of WH Smith.” Three years ago, Kendal’s Post Office faced the possibility of being integrated into a branch of the stationery shop. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Farron also noted that the upcoming closure of High Street banks Halifax and Lloyds in Kendal next year would further increase the importance of the Post Office branch for residents. However, several other bank branches, including Barclays and HSBC, are still present in the town. Gareth Thomas, the business and trade minister, confirmed that “no decisions” have been made regarding any specific Post Office branch at this time.