Fear for high streets as post offices close

Every constituency in the capital has been affected as the number has been cut from 1,175 to 849 since 2003.

The figures, released by the Government in a Parliamentary answer, prompted concern about the welfare of London's high streets.

Opposition MPs said post offices were the "lifeblood" of communities as they helped other small shops and businesses to thrive. They warned the situation is likely to get worse as ministers are planning another 2,500 closures across the country, of which as many as 150 could be in the capital.

Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone said: "It is unacceptable that the Government has allowed post office numbers to dwindle so drastically in the last few years. It must act to protect them immediately."

A spokesman for the Department of Business and Enterprise said changes were necessary as the post office network was losing £4 million a week.

He added: "Post offices play an important social and economic role in the communities they serve, but four million fewer people are using the Post Office each week than two years ago."

THE CLOSURE LIST

CONSTITUENCY - OPEN BRANCHES 2002-03/OPEN BRANCHES 2006-07

Barking - 15/11
Battersea - 15/10
Beckenham - 15/8
Bethnal Green and Bow - 14/13
Bexleyheath and Crayford - 12/6
Brent East - 14/11
Brent North - 11/9
Brent South - 14/10
Brentford and Isleworth - 22/14
Bromley and Chislehurst - 18/11
Camberwell and Peckham - 9/8
Carshalton and Wallington - 21/15
Chingford and Wood Green - 11/9
Chipping Barnet - 16/10
Cities of London and Westminster - 30/28
Croydon Central - 20/12
Croydon North - 22/15
Croydon South - 16/10
Dagenham - 13/8
Dulwich and West Norwood - 14/10
Ealing North - 15/11
Ealing, Acton and Sherpherd's Bush - 24/19
Ealing, Southall - 22/17
East Ham - 16/15
Edmonton - 13/8
Eltham - 16/15
Enfield North - 13/10
Enfield Southgate - 13/11
Erith and Thameshead - 15/12
Feltham and Heston - 18/9
Finchley and Golders Green - 15/13
Greenwich and Woolwich - 15/10
Hackney North and Stoke Newington - 13/12
Hackney South and Shoreditch - 20/14
Hammersmith and Fulham - 18/14
Hampstead and Highgate - 15/8
Harrow East - 17/11
Harrow West - 17/12
Hayes and Harlington - 20/15
Hendon - 14/14
Holborn and St Pancras - 17/12
Hornchurch - 16/10
Hornsey and Wood Green - 16/12
Ilford North - 13/9
Ilford South - 14/11
Islington North - 13/9
Islington South and Finsbury - 13/9
Kensington and Chelsea - 13/11
Kingston and Surbiton - 17/13
Lewisham East - 10/8
Lewisham West - 9/5
Lewisham, Deptford - 16/11
Leyton and Wanstead - 13/8
Mitcham and Morden - 14/10
North Southwark and Bermondsey - 15/13
Old Bexley and Sidcup - 16/8
Orpington - 22/17
Poplar and Canning Town - 22/17
Putney - 18/10
Regent's Park and Kensington North - 18/9
Richmond Park - 21/15
Romford - 14/8
Ruislip and Northwood - 14/13
Streatham - 15/11
Sutton and Cheam - 13/7
Tooting - 14/9
Tottenham - 14/11
Twickenham - 20/13
Upminster - 15/11
Uxbridge - 16/14
Vauxhall - 17/11
Walthamstow - 16/11
West Ham - 19/13
Wimbledon - 13/12

Total - 1175/849