13905/1THE campaign to save the Eastleigh Road Post Office in Devizes from closure has been boosted by a petition signed by around 1,000 people.

The majority of the signatures have been sent to Tesco's head office and the remainder will be sent this week.

The post office is within the One Stop shop that Tesco recently acquired to convert into a Tesco Express convenience store.

Tesco said this week it was doing all it could to find an alternative site for the post office.

The petition was started a few weeks ago and was organised by Devizes Town Council.

Roundway parish councillor Jeanette von Berg also helped collect signatures as the new houses being built at the end of Brickley Lane are in Roundway parish.

The campaign to save the post office is also backed by the Gazette & Herald, Devizes MP Michael Ancram and the Wiltshire panel of Postwatch.

Town mayor Margaret Taylor said the number of signatures demonstrated the strength of feeling against the closure of the post office.

She said: "There has been a lot of support against the closure of the post office.

"The closure of the post office would result in the loss of a service that would not make any sense at all. It will affect all age groups from young people to elderly people. I have only encountered one person who would not sign the petition because they didn't use the post office and felt unable to support the campaign, but otherwise everyone I have spoken to has said it is a vital service and should be kept.

"People who use the post office live in the nearby area but it is also used by people from further afield including Stert and the central part of Devizes. "

The nearest post office is the town centre post office in Sainsbury's in Monday Market Street and Mrs Taylor does not believe it could cope with extra users.

She said: "If Eastleigh Road post office closed it would cause much more inconvenience for people who use it. It also doesn't make sense because it would increase congestion in Devizes and the town centre is crowded enough.

"It will also put more pressure on the Sainsbury's post office and it is busy enough already."

The post office and One Stop shop is due to close at the end of October for a major refurbishment to become a Tesco Express store.

Mrs Taylor is urging Tesco not to close the post office until an alternative site can be found and has invited a representative of Tesco to a future town council meeting.

Judy Coom, who runs Upstairs Downstairs antiques centre in Eastleigh Road, considered taking on the running of the post office but was put off by the amount she would need to invest to bring her premises up to standard.

Another local businessperson, who did not wish to be named, also expressed interest in taking over the post office but lost interest because of the outlay required.

Tesco spokesman Steve Gracey said the store chain was doing all it could to find an alternative site for a post office in the Eastleigh Road area.

He said: "We are looking for alternative premises for the post office and we remove as many obstacles as possible. We help with the cost of relocation and we offer the post office for free in order for someone to take it on.

"We are in discussions with the post office and two interested parties about the possibility of them taking over the post office. Unfortunately we are not able to keep it within the premises as there is no extra space to expand."

Anyone interested in taking on the post office should call Johnson Fellows on 0121 643 9337.