Thame Post Office Closed

JUST days after Thame’s MP Boris Johnson, declined to sign an Early Day Motion to fight ‘Ghost Town Britain’, the sub-post office in Park Street,Thame, has closed.
(See May 19 report-Main News page)
According to the Manager, the business has declined over recent years, mainly due to the government taking away the pensions allowance from sub post offices and the arrival near-by of the Sainsbury store.
The Post Office managers have suffered from ill health recently, following two robberies and intend to move to Spain.

A resident of Park Street, who wished not to be named, told ThameNews.Net: “I must admit that in recent months I only used the sub post office for the odd stamp or emergency card or wrapping paper. Now, like a lot of things, now its gone I shall miss it and wish I’d used it more. I think it’s a shame that the Post Office didn’t support it more, instead of gradually taking away things like Car Tax renewals and Pass Port applications.
“I feel sorry that all these little shops are going. When my children were younger, it was very convenient for ice creams and drinks but that side of business has been taken away by Sainsbury’s up the road.
“Apart from being very convenient for older people, the post office was a regular meeting place for pensioners on a Monday morning and I feel very sorry for them because they will have to somehow get into town to get their pensions if they don’t have bank accounts.”

Mike Dyer, another resident and ex-user of the Sub Post Office, said: “With the loss of customers going in to collect pensions and allowances, went the sales of incidentals like cigarettes and sweets but the biggest nail in the coffin came when the Park Street post office applied for a National Lottery terminal, only to see it granted to Sainsbury’s.
“I for one, refuse to use the Post Office in town. Its often difficult to find somewhere to park, and there are always queues. I personally go to either Stone, Long Crendon or Haddenham when I am out and about with my business.”

The building has been sold and will be turned into a residential property for which planning permission has been granted.