Post office in Joan Collins ad is a fake ... around the corner from a real one which was axed weeks ago

With its freshly painted facade gleaming in the sunshine, it is presented to millions of TV viewers as a "people's post office" – a high-street business offering "more than just stamps".

But the smart building in which the sub-postmaster gives a rousing speech to his staff about the service's importance to the community – while Joan Collins waits at the counter – is actually a lighting and bathroom shop in Richmond, Surrey.

And it stands just 300 yards away from a real post office – which was controversially closed down weeks before the advert was filmed.

The decision to film in a town where there were protests at the closure of the branch six months earlier has provoked an outcry.

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Liberal Democrat MP Susan Kramer accused Post Office bosses of "despicable" behaviour.

She said: "As a result of their closure programme, Richmond town centre has only one post office left – and that's on the first floor of WH Smith.

"Instead of paying to have the bathroom shop done up, they should have spent the money on reopening the subpost office, which was heavily used, particularly by old people.

"This adds insult to injury."

The shop, which was empty at the time, was painted red and green for the filming and then blue in time for it to reopen as a lighting and bathroom outlet.

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Proprietor Mark Holloway said: "We were approached by a film-location company who said they wanted a corner premises.

"They paid for the repainting and a nominal fee on top.

"The filming was done before we moved in."

The pretence was uncovered after resident Jenny Wright, who lives in the road, recognised the shop while watching television one evening.

"I was absolutely astonished to see it disguised as a post office," she said.

The Post Office's campaign features 60-second adverts directed by writer and comedian Armando Iannucci.

But its launch coincided with wildcat strikes by postal workers and the start of a Government cost-cutting programme under which 2,500 branches will close by the end of next year.

It is the latest in a series of public relations disasters by the Post Office.

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Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed how a secret hitlist of branches facing the axe was mistakenly posted on the internet.

A Post Office spokesman said: "We filmed for one day only in Richmond outside a vacant shop whose exterior only we mocked up at minimal cost with a logo and posters on the window.

"We didn't want to cause any disruption to customers entering or leaving any of our 14,100 branches."

He said Ms Collins had acted out her role in a West London studio.

VIDEO: Now watch Joan Collins starring in the TV commerical for the Post Office...

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