“Having been given a glimmer of hope only two or three weeks ago, the people of Lacock and district have had their hopes shattered by the announcement that Lacock Post Office will close after all.”

“Lacock Post Office not only serves the tens of thousands of visitors who come to the village every year but also a wider rural hinterland.”

“The Conservative Party have called a debate on the subject of post office closures scheduled for this afternoon and I call on the hundred or so Labour MPs who are campaigning to keep post offices in their own constituencies open, to join with us in the voting lobbies this evening to reverse this and the many other disgraceful closures scheduled across England.”

“I am delighted that Post Office Ltd have wisely decided to change their stance on the future of Yatton Keynell Post Office and that to all intents and purposes, the future of the branch has been secured,” said James Gray MP.

“I have received a letter from Tim Nickolls, Network Development Manager at Post Office Ltd., stating that a service called ‘Post Office Essentials’ will be provided at Yatton Keynell Post Office, which the subpostmaster has welcomed,” said Mr Gray.

“I am quite sure that Post Office Ltd have changed their minds about the branch as a result of the widespread public outrage at their initial plans to close the branch altogether or offer a very limited ‘Outreach’ service.”

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North Wiltshire MP James Gray has sent a strongly-worded response to Tim Nickolls at Post Office Ltd in response to the Post Office’s consultation on Post Offices in North Wiltshire, outlining in detail his objection to the proposed closures.

He also raised the issue with Ministers yesterday in the House of Commons during Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform questions.

Read on to see Mr Gray's letter in full, and yesterday's Hansard.

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"I am delighted that both the National Trust who own Lacock Post Office and Dame Judi Dench who starred in the recent BBC serialisation of Cranford which was filmed in Lacock have written to me to express their support for our campaign to keep the post office open." said North Wiltshire MP James Gray speaking from Westminster this afternoon.

Dame Judi Dench said "I am sorry that I am unable to come to Lacock to support the campaign as I am currently away filming but I wish you great success in keeping the Post Office open."

Dame Fiona Reynolds, Director General of the National Trust said, "We have indeed expressed our concern regarding the proposed closure of the Post Office at Lacock and have written to object formally to this. As you will know there is strong local support for this facility."

 

"If Miss Deborah dropped dead from shock at the idea of the railway encroaching on her picturesque 1840s village, then she’d certainly have a strong reaction to the news that Post Office Ltd are shutting Cranford Post Office," said North Wiltshire MP James Gray this morning.

"I and my constituents in the National Trust village of Lacock, the filming location for Cranford, were horrified to learn that Post Office bosses are announcing the closure of our Post Office tomorrow, along with many others in North Wiltshire. The excellent services provided by the village Post Office and stores are so vital for local residents, and although Post Office Ltd claims to be offering a six-week consultation period on the closures they are announcing, it is clear that community needs will take second place to cost-cutting."

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Ahead of his meeting in Westminster tomorrow with Post Office bosses to discuss the proposed closures of Hullavington, Lacock, Yatton Keynell, Bradenstoke, Charlton, Kington St Michael, Lea, Lowden, Lydiard Millicent and Prospect Post Offices, North Wiltshire MP James Gray has condemned the plans as a disaster for the area and in particular for the rural elderly.

"The plans that have just been announced for Wiltshire and Berkshire include the closure of Bradenstoke, Charlton, Kington St Michael, Lea, Lowden, Lydiard Millicent and Prospect Post Offices and a programme called ‘Outreach’ for Hullavington, Lacock and Yatton Keynell Post Offices which will see those branches close and their postmasters and postmistresses renting space and time - if they can afford to - from other branches in the locality. The Government claims to be about creating ‘sustainable communities’ but they are doing nothing to stop these closures. I can assure my constituents that I will be doing everything I can, not just at tomorrow’s meeting, but also in the days and weeks to come to campaign strongly against these closures."