Latest news with #Horspath
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
MP takes Horspath village post office petition return to No.10
An Oxfordshire MP has presented a petition with more than 500 signatures, in parliament to get a local Post Office service back after it closed earlier this Dem Henley and Thame MP Freddie van Mierlo, along with residents from Horspath village, just outside of Oxford has been campaigning to get it branch closed in 2011 because of the Horizon scandal and the outreach service, operated by the Great Milton Post Office, opened at the Horspath Hub 3 years Post Office says alternative services are within its criteria of being 3 miles or less away. Judy Kent ran the outpost service from Great Milton before it closed and said "getting the petition in front of politicians is a big step".Ms Kent explained that the post office was "very important" to the community in said: "Not a day went by when one or more people didn't say to me 'thank goodness you're here'"."There was a core of our customers who are very vulnerable, who haven't got much mobility and simply can't get to these other post offices." She said the current proposal to expect customers to go from Horspath to Little Milton isn't "good enough".She said she hopes this gets turned around for the community but her optimism has been "up and down". "At the moment it's quite up and I have a lot more hope now," she added.A Post Office spokesperson said: "We apologise for any inconvenience that these two closures may cause."The Post Office has undertaken a comprehensive review of the network to ensure that it continues to meet evolving customer needs in a very challenging economic climate.""At this time we are not looking to replace Great Milton Post Office or Horspath Outreach Post Office where there have been declining customer sessions."The alternative branch for Great Milton Post Office is Little Milton, which is 1.4 miles away. "There are three branches within three miles for Horspath with the closest being 2.14 miles away at Wheatley, with other options of Woodfarm and Risinghurst. "These meet our access criteria for Post Office provision of 99% of the UK population being within 3 miles, and 90% within 1 mile of a Post Office." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
MP backs bid to save Horspath post office near Oxford
A campaign to save a "successful and well-used" post office has been backed by its local from Horspath, just outside Oxford, set up a campaign to save their outreach post office shortly before it closed in Lib Dem Henley and Thame MP Freddie van Mierlo has written to the chairman of the Post Office and the minister for postal affairs urging them to Post Office said the branch had declining customer sessions and that there were still three branches within three miles of Horspath. But locals raised concerns about accessing their nearest post office, which is just over two miles away in Wheatley, due to the lack of public transport links."Many elderly and vulnerable residents rely on this essential service," Mr van Mierlo said."This is a successful and well-used facility." If saved, the branch could come under the stewardship of the Wheatley postmaster.A Post Office spokesperson said, "The Post Office has undertaken a comprehensive review of the network to ensure that it continues to meet evolving customer needs in a very challenging economic climate."At this time we are not looking to replace Horspath Outreach Post Office, where there have been declining customer sessions."There are three branches within three miles for Horspath. These meet our access criteria of 99% of the UK population being within three miles and 90% within one mile of a post office."A bid to save St Aldate's post office in central Oxford has, however, been branch was named in November's announcement of the 115 post offices due to be closed as the organisation carried out a cost-saving it was later announced that retail franchise Universal Office Equipment would take it over. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
