Forced to drive for miles just to post a letter
SIR – Our village post office is due to close, which will mean a 13-mile round trip to the nearest town, not only for postal services but also banking facilities. This is a huge inconvenience for villagers.
Having inquired as to how a sub-postmaster is remunerated, I was surprised to discover that no basic salary is paid, and all remuneration is based on turnover. Rates of commission have been reduced to the point that the business is no longer viable.
With postal turnover falling, I do not understand how killing off rural sub-post offices, on which no overheads are paid, can help Royal Mail’s finances. In recent years, additional services such as banking facilities, mobile phone top-ups and the sale of Lottery tickets have surely brought money in, offsetting the decline in the sale of stamps.
Royal Mail should be finding other such sources of income, rather than basing its decisions on a selffulfilling prophesy of doom.
Simon Pain
Rock, Cornwall