Demonstrators rally in the rain

3:41pm Thursday 3rd April 2008

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A downpour could not dampen the spirits of fired-up residents as they took to the streets in protest of the post office closures.

Nearly 100 residents participated in the demonstration outside Central Library, in High Street, Wood Green, waving banners and demanding that the borough's post offices be saved.

The rally, organised by Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, was the last in a series of protests before the consultation closed on Wednesday.

Group secretary Dave Morris said: "Over the past six weeks Haringey residents have responded magnificently to the outrageous threat of post office closures.

"The well-attended protests and public meetings, and the thousands signing petitions, prove people are angry that yet another public service is being deliberately run-down.

"We hope this will force the Government to withdraw the whole national closure programme, as it had to in 2004 after similar protests.

Joan Rumble, of Malvern Road, said: "My local post office is not under threat, but if you don't do something about it now it could be next. So I'm here to show my support."

Among the protesters were Councillor Bob Harris, cabinet member for adult social care and well being, Councillor Fiyaz Mughal, representative for Noel Park, Sait Akgul, Left List GLA candidate for Haringey and Enfield, and David Schmitz, Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Tottenham.

At a full Haringey Council meeting on Monday, councillors passed a motion to explore all options to save the borough's post offices.

The unanimous decision means the council will consider whether it could follow in the footsteps of Essex County Council and take repsonsibility for the post offices.

It could mean some council services would be made available in the post offices to generate more business.

They also made calls for Post Office Ltd to be "open and transparent" in its consultation process and reveal the financial information of the threatened branches.

Elizabeth Pears