Vince Cable

The Post Office has rejected appeals from the local community, Vincent Cable MP and the consumer watchdog Postwatch, and is pressing ahead with the closure of the Tangley Park in Nurserylands.

The Post Office earlier agreed to hear a special appeal in view of the strength of protest and other options were being explored including a branch within Sainsbury's, but in the event the closure is to go ahead.

Vincent Cable said that he was "frustrated and angry at the unwillingness of the Post Office to listen to reasoned argument. There is not doubt a general business argument for contracting the network as business declines, but this is a particularly bad decision.

"Tangley Park is one of the larger and more successful branches which could have secured more customers if given the chance to deal with car tax insurance and financial services. Its closure will undermine the rest of the shopping centre, and for a lot of elderly and less mobile residents will be a long trek on foot or an erratic bus service to Hanworth or Station Road, Hampton."