Lib Dems welcome Post Office move

2 Jul 2004

Cllr Peter Smith outside the old Hawkinge Post Office — Cllr Peter Smith outside the old Post Office

Hawkinge Lib Dems have today welcomed the newly opened Post Office based in the Community Centre.

The Hawkinge Post Office came under threat earlier this year when Tesco bought the One Stop Shop on Canterbury Road with no plans to keep the Post Office that was based within it open.

Thanks to swift action from the local Lib Dem Team, a petition was raised and signed by hundreds of local people.

The Post Office is now under new management and is being run from Hawkinge Community Centre.

Local Cllr Peter Smith said "Our Post Office is a vital part of our community. I would like to thank everyone who signed our petition to save the Post Office. The strength of feeling from local people played a massive part in helping make sure our Post Office was saved."

Cllr Chris Smith said "I am glad that elderly residents and parents have been listened to and will not have to make the journey into Folkestone for their everyday needs."

Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman Peter Carroll congratulated the Hawkinge Councillors on a successful end to their campaign. He said "The Government's programme of Post Office closures is already decimating our towns. To see areas like Hawkinge suffer too for reasons that were avoidable would have been terrible. I am delighted that the Post Office are open for business in their new home and I wish them every success."

Ends