GAZETTE & HERALD: PEWSHAM Post Office will be closing permanently from November 20, Post Office Ltd confirmed yesterday.

Councillors, residents, and postmaster Howard Greenman are dismayed at the decision following the three-month consultation period.

Mr Greenman said: "I'm very sad about the whole thing. The hardest and ugliest irony is with all the efforts I've put into keeping post offices open, my longest standing post office is being closed.

"When I became postmaster in March 1991, it was only open three days a week. I've built it up and heavily subsided it until it started paying for itself. No compensation payment will cover the monthly income I get from it."

During the public consultation exercise customers, MPs, Postwatch and local organisations were asked for their views. The Post Office had three weeks to consider its decision but announced the closure a day after the consultation was completed. Mr Greenman said: "They were absolutely determined to close it and I couldn't have done anything." he said.

James Gray, MP for North Wiltshire, said: "I was extremely angry and disappointed to see that Post Office Ltd has now finally decided to close the Pewsham Post Office," he said.

"This seems to me to fly in the face of all of the representations they received on behalf of local people, especially the elderly and disabled.

"This sad closure is a disgraceful symptom of the Government's determination to make the Post Office profitable and it is a sad day for the people of Chippenham."

Chippenham Mayor Ross Henning said: "It's a very sad day for the community and the post office in general. I don't think Pewsham pushed itself forward enough to make it viable. I hope it doesn't undermine the vitality of the rest of the shops."

County councillor Philip Allnatt said: "This is no surprise. The public consultation has been a complete charade. To all intense and purposes the decision was taken months ago in order to transfer the business to the main post office in Chippenham."

County councillor Paul Fox said: "I'm very disappointed that the Post Office hasn't taken any notice of what the people of Pewsham have been saying.

Paul Maisey, the Post Office area head said: "After consideration of our original proposal and the feedback received during the public consultation period, we have decided that permanent closure of this branch is the correct action to take."