Town’s shock as lifeline faces axe

work in the New Year. Afton French, a 37-year- old mother of six, says: ‘What will I do when the post office closes? Cry? It is such a lifeline for people like me who rely on the vital service it offers in the community.’

Afton uses the post office to top up the pay-as-you-go card for her electricity meter.

Sue Marx, 67, says: ‘The post office and banks need to have their heads knocked together by the Government to sort out this terrible mess.

‘The elderly and vulnerable that rely on face-to-face banking services are being abandoned. They do not want to bank online.

As a long-time Lloyds customer I feel betrayed.’

Across the road from the doomed post office is clothes shop Sparkles of Ware. Owner Wendy Smith says: ‘Post offices in nearby villages have closed in recent years – forcing more people to rely on the branch inside Martin’s in town.

‘Trade suffered when the banks all quit. Now, with the post office going, it will get worse. It makes running a business like ours extremely challenging.’

On Friday, Julie Marson MP said she was ‘hopeful’ a new home for a post office in Ware could be found.