Tuesday 1 July 2008

Tuesday Update …

Apart from a busy day on the "day job" front, I took part in a lively joint surgery with Alison McInnes MSP at lunchtime at Blackness Library.

We also visited the Sound Sense project - click on headline to view more - which is doing superb work to help deaf people in Dundee, Angus and Perth & Kinross.

As part of Alison's visit to Dundee, she visited Nethergate Post Office to meet the Postmaster, Mr Farhat Baig, and add her voice in support of the campaign to keep the vital Dundee Post Offices open. See photo (above right).

After her visit to Nethergate Post Office, Alison said, “I am very disappointed at the decision of Post Office Ltd to recommend closure of the four Dundee Post Offices at Lochee Road, Fairmuir, Broughty Ferry Road and Nethergate. All four provide a vital service for the communities they serve.

“It was very clear from my visit to Nethergate Post Office today that this Post Office is extremely busy and that the Postmaster has invested to improve the Post Office facilities. Mr Baig gave me detail of the continually improving sales at Nethergate Post Office and, with around 1200 customers every week, any suggestion of closing this Post Office makes no commercial sense for Post Office Ltd.

“I am strongly backing the campaign by local councillors and others in Dundee to save all four Post Offices and am writing to Post Office Ltd making clear my formal objection to the closure plans.”

I am pleased to say that the campaign to save the four Dundee Post Offices is really gathering momentum and getting support right across Dundee. In the West End, many residents have contacted me in support of the campaign.

At Nethergate Post Office, it is very clear that Mr Baig, the Postmaster, has built up an excellent business which is vital for the local community and with an increasing, not reducing, customer base, I think the case for keeping this Post Office open is very strong indeed.

We will be continuing the campaign to save the four Dundee Post Offices right up to the closing date for objections on 8th July and urge residents to make their feelings known to Post Office Ltd.