Churches Could Become Post Offices, says Bishop

The Bishop of Hereford is asking church congregations to consider whether their buildings could be used as Post Offices in the future.

In a letter to all parishes, Bishop Anthony Priddis points out that 2500 Post Offices are to close nationally and many of those will be in rural areas. The Diocese of Hereford is the most rural diocese in the Church of England.

"What no one knows yet is which post offices will be closed. "Access" will be crucial. 95% of everyone in a given rural postal code area needs to be within 6 miles of a post office, according to the Government Minister," said Bishop Anthony.

"More remote rural areas will receive 'additional protection' and other issues will also be taken into consideration such as obstacles like rivers and mountains, and also the availability (or not) of public transport. But it does leave some communities concerned."

The decision as to which post offices should be closed rests with Post Office Ltd, but they must consult Postwatch, sub-postmasters and local authorities. Post offices are losing £4m each week. There must also be a public consultation lasting six weeks, which Bishop Priddis believes is a very short time frame for something so vital to rural areas.

"What is true of the financial viability of post offices is also true of village shops and other local services and facilities. In part, the issue is how much each of us values local services and uses them," added Bishop Priddis. "If they disappear, then, as always, it is the more vulnerable members of our communities that suffer most."

When the closures were announced in May, the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Alastair Darlin revealed the government's intention to create 500 outreach location in areas where some post offices might close. Bishop Anthony, while recognising that that is second best, sees this as an opportunity for church goes to grasp.

"These will need premises, and congregations may want to consider making church buildings available to assist with this," said Bishop Priddis.

"The number of our post offices may be set to reduce, but the opportunities for us to be engaged with the issues of our communities abound, as do the opportunities for acts of loving service to one another. Let us grasp them."