The Post Office faced a storm of criticism from residents and trade unionists at a public meeting over plans to sell its Edgware branch.

The proposed franchise deal would see the existing post office in Station Road double as a general store.

Communication Workers Union representative Andy Furey, who worked in the Edgware branch in the 1980s, said the post office was profitable and the deal was like selling the family jewels'.

About 40 people attended the meeting in St Margaret's Church, Station Road, on Monday, to voice concerns that the service would deteriorate and that the Post Office had not consulted residents properly.

The Post Office wants to sell the building to Fontrise, which will run it as a Spar shop. The family-owned firm already manages five other post offices in London.

Jackie Illesley, head of the eastern area for the Post Office, said the sale was necessary because the Post Office is losing £3million a week due to the loss of business to fax, email and competitors.

Ms Illesley claimed service to customers would not suffer and the branch would not be closed for more than a couple of days for refurbishment.

She said all 19 staff at Edgware had been offered other jobs in the Post Office no more than an hour's journey from where they live and that one or two had chosen voluntary redundancy.

The Post Office has extended its consultation period to March 7 and will take concerned customers on a visit to a franchise in Waterloo run by the same family. A bus will leave Edgware Post Office at 10am on February 14.

January 29, 2003 11:00