Town's post office saved after residents' campaign

Residents are celebrating after their town's post office has been saved from closure.

Teanlowe Post Office in Poulton-le-Fylde, was one of 115 branches under threat of closure despite being described as an "essential lifeline".

However, following a campaign backed by Fylde MP Andrew Snowden and Poulton county councillor Alf Clempson, the post office will now be taken over by a new franchise partner from September.

Snowden said it was a "clear victory" for Poulton and "testament to what we can achieve when the community stands together", following a petition and several protests.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It is always busy; you never walked past it and don't see people going in and out so it was obvious it was an important local service that we needed the campaign to save it.

"I'm really grateful to over 2,000 residents in Poulton who have engaged with the campaign.

"It was really good to see the community absolutely rally round this service."

Clempson added: "The town has really come together for this campaign because this building and the services it provides are so important."

The campaign is not quite over though, added Snowden.

He said he has demanded guarantees with Post Office Ltd that no jobs will be lost in the new arrangement.

He said: "I will continue to press the post office to deliver on their promises and ensure that Poulton has a reliable, high-quality service at the heart of the town."

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