The post office in Hampstead High Street

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THE Hampstead post office could be shut in a national shake-up of the service with 32 branches across London on a list of possible closures.

While some franchises are already run by individual post masters, the Hampstead High Street is part of the portfolio owned by the state-owned Post Office business.

The company, under new leadership, is now looking for operators who could take it over – or to whether it should close.

Nearby businesses have told the New Journal that Hampstead would suffer if the axe was to swing.

Carlos Tapia, manager of the Hampstead Community Centre, said: “I think unfortunately it’s a trend isn’t it. And post offices may be the first thing to go, but they have a function. They have a role in the community and an important role and it’s a pity that some of them will be closed. Some local people need the services that the post office provides. I think it will be good for the community to have a say on what is the best.”

He added: “You think they could make 16 flats there and sell them for a million each at least, but I think it’s really sad, because if the post office goes, and with all the local banks that have closed, I don’t know what Hampstead will look like in five years time. I think that’s precisely where our role comes into the equation.”

Caz Brill, who has lived in Hampstead for 21 years, said: “I just worry about where we would post our letters and packages. The high street is dying. There are empty shops which pop up all the time and when we were here years ago it used to be a buzzing community.

“We definitely need a post office. I use the post office every week for buying stamps, posting and paying my rent every month. I really don’t know where people would go without it. Everyone around here is talking about it, especially in the old people’s home around the corner. They will really suffer.”

Louise Smith, who works in the local grocers in the high street said: “The elderly will be worse affected because a lot of them missed that part of technology and also a lot of people live on their own and using the post office gives many someone to talk to. It’s really important, sometimes it’s their only point of contact if they live alone.

“A high street used to be a bakers, grocers, bank and post office and with the loss of the post office is it even a high street any more? It’s that little bit of familiarity which a lot of places are lacking now, especially for the elderly in the community.”

Hampstead councillor Linda Chung

Hampstead ward councillor Linda Chung, a Liberal Democrat, said: “Residents are very, very upset and mystified because it’s a big post office and it’s always regularly used and if it goes where do people go for a post office service? I don’t think we can rely on them [the Post Office] because they’re on a survival mission now because they’ve got to pay all the compensation [for recent legal cases] and there had been murmurings they had wanted to go to a franchise model anyway. So I think it’s going to be difficult.”

She added: “The high street will be hollow without a post office and this is where the government needs to put their money where their mouth is, because one of Keir Starmer’s missions was to protect our high streets and it’s time he protected our high street. What is he going to do about it? I want some resources to help us protect our high streets and that means having a community banking hub.”

The branch on the Brent side of Kilburn High Road is also on the list of possible closure.

A Post Office spokesperson said: “We are considering a range of options to reduce our central costs. This includes considering the future of our remaining Directly Managed Branches (DMBs), which are loss-making.

“We have had long held a publicly-stated ambition to move to a fully franchised network and we are in dialogue with the unions about future options for the DMBs.”