Forum Topic

Acton Post Office to close?

I was in the PO about a week ago and in the queue were two ladies discussing this point. What little information they had and shared was the building which is clearly showing its age is up for lease renewal and the PO it is rumoured will not be renewing. From subsequent reading (the attached Evening Standard article on last year's closures) this seems like this could be part of the 2018 year's round of ongoing cuts and downsizing of post offices.https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/post-office-set-to-close-or-franchise-12-branches-across-the-capital-a3437426.htmlHaving experienced the dreadful Ealing PO relocation (from the prior PO building to the back of W H Smiths on Ealing Broadway) and the PO at Chiswick (now a franchise and the worse for it as numerous postings on W4.com will confirm) I have increasingly used Acton PO which is by far a more efficient and user friendly model and would be a sad community loss given its proximity to the open market and Morrisons area.Does anybody know any more and if it is true, whether any local alternative or response is planned?

Joe Conneely ● 2971d28 Comments

Post Office staff say that they were told that they had a reprieve until October (they say that Post Oofice was originally told that their lease would not be extended beyond April 2018 but the local staff were not aware).The staff expect to be receive confirmation from P.O. in June that it will close.They had a visit by MP (Rupa Huq) and a union rep in the last 2 weeks.

Paul Webster ● 2916d

Pauk Webster explained:Planning permission to demolish and rebuild higher was granted at end of April 2018........As is fully explained in the summary at the head of the planning application, the only part of the building to be demolished is the existing three storey extension at the rear.Nothing else.As to the the Post Office's objections as contained in their letterquoteThe Post Office’s main concerns are summarised as follows:1. The loss of the rear of the Post Office’s current floorspace....2. Planning conditions will also be required to ensure any disruption is negated or at least minimised during theconstruction period.unquote.In other words the Post Office expect to continuenormal operations as far as possible while thebuilding works go on around them. In addition a new ground floor facade is going to be installed at the front of the Post Office at some point.The proposed retail space in question, isn't that currently being used by the existing Post Officewhich will continue as it is, but poasible newretail space on ground floor of the rebuilt rear extension. With access presumably via the alley at the side  michael adams 

Michael Adams ● 2917d

If the Post Office have lodged objections surely it must mean that it is quite a profitable concern. There are two Banks begging to be used. HSBC and the Nat West when it closes down.

Tony Crumpton ● 2918d

It is the one with the following info30 Aug 2017 / Correspondence / L-LMC-EALING-220817

Paul Webster ● 2918d

Hi Paul, thanks for this but I am unable to find the detailed objection from the Post Office.

Libby Kemp ● 2918d

Planning permission to demolish and rebuild higher was granted at end of April 2018.It will have retail on ground floor but not confirmed as being a post office.The documents on the planning site include the detailed objection from Post Office. Many of the arguments in it could be used to help justify the opening of a new post office in the area (eg in one of the bank buildings in Uxbridge Road/High St).https://pam.ealing.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=OT2TXMJM09P00

Paul Webster ● 2918d

I asked on Saturday ... and they think it will close by October.So - keeping it or getting it moved to old HSBC/NatWest/somewhere will, I think, require campaigning.

Paul Webster ● 2934d

https://www.change.org/start-a-petitionYou need to post the link here and then promote it like crazy on facebook and the likes, but you will never change the mind of the money-driven PO people - they want to get rid of the Crown Offices for good...

Urs Esser ● 2959d

Jay, I did suggest on here that a petition be started to keep the post office open for the whole community and the staff in their jobs.  No-one has responded.  I've no idea as to how to start a petition as techie challenged, but more than happy to sign and support.

Helen New ● 2960d

Whaaaaaat!!  so where do they expect me to take my big bulky items I need to post??

Jay Bower ● 2961d

will be a huge shame to lose the post office, especially since there is no immediate alternative

James Feth ● 2965d

The closure does not surprise me at all. They do not care whether a crown PO is profitable or not - they want to get rid of all the crown POs full stop because they usually have long-serving staff members who are still on old contracts that give them fairer wages and benefits. This is what you get when you privatize essential services, I am afraid.

Urs Esser ● 2966d

Tony, I was told they would be closed due to the upgrading of the system.  When I queried why they would upgrade their systems if they were closing, they didn't know, but did know they would be losing their jobs and definitely closing.

Helen New ● 2966d

They would need to upgrade their systems evenif they were going to close next month.Either that, or close a month early.However the nature of the building work, whenever that starts, suggests that that's going to proceed while the Post Office carries on operating as normally as possible. Apart from the scaffolding and tarpaulins at least.michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 2967d

The Post Office was closed today for the upgrade of their systems. Surely they would not be doing this if they were closing.

Tony Crumpton ● 2967d

Here is part of the planning application as canbe found on the LBE planning websiteThe reference no is 173577FUL Tue 27 Jun 2017Address Acton Post Office 23-31 King Street Acton London W3 9LAProposal Construction of a third, fourth and fifth roof level extension and part four and five storey rear extension (following demolition of the existing three storey rear extension) for the creation of ten self-contained residential units; 440.5sqm of retail floorspace (Use Class A1); 68sqm of flexible use floorspace (Use Class A1, A2 or B1a); cycle and refuse/recycling storageFrom this it appears the PO will most likely remain in place while three storeys are added above andthe rear extension demplished and rebuilt to provideadditional retail floorspace. To be accessed fromthe side presumably or the back.From my reading of this at least, if the PO were moving out, then it would probably be easier todemolish the whole lot and start again. michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 2968d

What a stupid decision to make as it is in the Centre of Acton and is always busy. Alternative why not move into one of the Banks that have or are closing ie the Nat West Bank. Hardly any work required to convert it into a Post Office.

Tony Crumpton ● 2968d

According to the staff, works have already started behind the post office.

Helen New ● 2968d

No, definitely the main branch - staff are obviously worried about their jobs.

Helen New ● 2968d

Isnt it the Horn Lane NOT the main one closing...

Sara Nathan ● 2968d

Terrible that's last of Acton  compare to the terrible PO in Chiswick.  I always  found them very helpful  in Acton .

John Kennedy ● 2968d

I was in the post office today, and spoke to a member of staff who informed me that yes, the post office is due to close.  They were told of this last week and this will be confirmed to them in May. The closure will be in October of this year as the lease is due to expire, and apparently the wish is for flats to be built. Is it worth starting a petition?

Helen New ● 2969d

There is a notice in the Horn Lane PO stating that it was due to close but not anymore for the foreseeable future. This is good news and there must be a reason for this change of plan eg sufficient footfall.

Claire Rutland ● 2969d

I agree with all the comments and that Acton is one of the best run and efficient post offices I have used in West London. Hopefully the rumour I heard in the conversation turns out to be an unfounded one!

Joe Conneely ● 2971d

Am I missing something here but why would the Post Office close the Acton Post Office. It is central to Acton and is always busy and cannot be operating at a loss.

Tony Crumpton ● 2971d

Ooops ! Time does fly when you're not looking.Sorry my mistake.Nevertheless the fact that they announced the 2017 closures so far in advance, and they wereso well publicised, might well indicate that if there were any closures planned for 2018we'd have heard about them by now from official channels.As you pointed out the Ealing Crown Post Officewent to the back of W.H.Smith and the same happenedin Hounslow only its upstairs. Given the volumeof business the Acton Post Office still must attract, possibly the fact there's no W.H.Smith or similar in Acton capable of taking on the role may have been a factor in keeping the Acton branch open.michael adams

Michael Adams ● 2971d

I hope you are right Michael but would simply observe that the date of all items listed (newspaper stories and parliamentary debates) when I google as you suggested are early 2017 (which is as per my own prior research before I made my posting). The plan then seemed to be per the articles that many of those closures would be completed in 2017.

Joe Conneely ● 2971d

The short answer is no. Acton is not due to close.There are 37 closures of Crown Post Offices plannedfor this year of which 12 are in London. But Acton isnot among them. I had planned to paste the list on here but thewebsite with the details was taking so long to load I gave up.Just google something like " 37 Crown Post Offices Closures list"michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 2971d