'Angry OAP rock band' The Zimmers - internationally renowned champions of older people's rights - paid Downing Street a visit to petition the Prime Minister about Post Office closures.
Local celebs Dolores Murray, Sylvia Beaton, Rita Roberts and lead singer Alf Caretta, 91, joined Islington Council Leader James Kempton yesterday, as he delivered hundreds of residents' letters and emails protesting against plans to close local branches.
Proposals from Post Offices Ltd, to shut three Islington branches at Essex Road, and 100 and 492 in Caledonian Road - an area surrounded by high levels of deprivation - have sparked outrage locally.
Cllr James Kempton said: "Thank you to the hundreds and hundreds of local people who have shown their support for the campaign to Save Our Post Offices. I'm proud that we are a strong and active local commmunity in Islington, and we have people like Dolores, Alf, Sylvia and Rita, who are not afraid to speak up for essential local services. Their voices, and the voices of everyone locally, deserve to be heard. That's why I've taken their letters and emails to Downing Street and I hope that the Prime Minister will listen to their concerns about Post Office's plans for Islington."
Zimmer Dolores Murray said: "We started out as a rock band because we believe in people power for older people. And these plans to close Post Offices are going to have a terrible effect on older residents of our borough. That's why we've come to Downing Street. There is real strength of feeling here. It's all very well to say there are other branches half a mile away - but that's a long way for someone in a wheelchair with no car. We plan to fight the closures all the way."
Yesterday evening saw concerned Islington residents pack out the council's South Area Committee meeting, where representatives from Post Office Ltd had been invited to discuss plans to close the Post Office at Essex Road. This branch is not part of the Government's national closures programme, but has now been earmarked for closure as part of Post Offices Ltd's plan to franchise Crown Post Offices.
At the same time Post Offices Ltd has also announced proposals to shut Islington branches at 100 and 492 Caledonian Road in response to the Government's national closures programme. Islington residents will also be affected by five other proposed closures outside the borough but close to the borders with Hackney and Haringey.
Cllr James Kempton said: "We know from listening to local residents that Post Office closures directly impact elderly, disabled and vulnerable people. Islington is home to some of the most deprived communities in the UK and yet in the space of two months, our residents have been told they are to lose three branches. We know Islington residents are concerned and we will fight any closures on their behalf."
ENDS
Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008