Thousands back campaign to save post office in historic Yorkshire village

Thousands of people have objected to plans to close a post office in a historic West Yorkshire village.
Thousands have backed a campaign to save the post office in HaworthThousands have backed a campaign to save the post office in Haworth
Thousands have backed a campaign to save the post office in Haworth

Post Office Ltd is looking to shut the branch on Main Street in Haworth and open a new counter service at a Co-op store in the village, which is less than half a mile away.

The company says it can “continue to meet customer needs” in Haworth after closing the branch, which is currently run by a temporary operator, but more than 2,100 people have signed a petition which states the “invaluable local resource” should remain open and another 2,000 have signed a paper petition.

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Campaigners from the Save Haworth Post Office campaign group say some people will struggle to get to the Co-op store, because it is at the bottom of a steep hill, and the full range of Post Office services will not be provided at the counter.

Main Street in HaworthMain Street in Haworth
Main Street in Haworth

They also claim it is one of the few places in town where locals and tourists can withdraw cash.

Many of them have also expressed their views during a consultation on the closure, which is due to end on August 27. Post Office Ltd has promised to review all responses before making a decision.

Campaigner Lydia MacKinnon said: “They (Post Office Ltd) are turning their back on a huge community and social asset. Sometimes it is about more than the money.

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“We don’t have a bank in Haworth and we don’t have a tourism information centre anymore, this is one of the very few resources we have left.

“The post office is so important to the residents and the thousands of tourists who visit Haworth every year.”

She added: “We’ve been incredibly well supported by local people and from people all over the world, who know about Haworth.

“Haworth is such a culturally significant place in the UK and globally, and the post office is part of one of the most iconic street scenes in Britain.”

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Robbie Moore, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, is due to meet with senior Post Office representatives this week and ask them to reconsider the planned closure.

"There's no lack of demand for this service. The issue is very much that it shouldn't be moved, so that we haven't got any post office service provision at the top of Haworth," he said.

"We need to keep the post office at the top of Main Street, where it is at the moment, but why not have a post office service in the Co-op as well?”

A Post Office Ltd spokeswoman said: “We are proposing to move Haworth Post Office to the newly opened Co-op Foodstore, Station Road, Haworth.

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"Haworth Post Office is currently operated on our behalf by a temporary operator. We are looking for a more sustainable solution for customers served by Haworth and the temporarily closed Haworth Brow branch.

“This is a proposed move and consultation runs until August 27. All feedback will be reviewed before a final decision is made.”

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