The Post Office has announced ‘a corporate restructuring’ – and Kennington Park Post Office is one of 115 branches across the country, including 32 in London, at risk of closure.
No decisions have yet been announced, and there is still a chance that the branch will remain as it is. The Post Office are expected to provide an update on their plans for the at-risk branches in March 2025. If a change of service at Kennington is announced, this could mean a franchise partner comes in to manage the branch as an alternative to closure.
Any changes would likely take months before being implemented and would have to go through statutory public consultation.
Local residents successfully campaigned to save Kennington Park Post office thirteen years ago, resulting in its renovation. Let’s not lose this vital facility for our community.
The post office is more than just a service provider; it is a central part of our community. Seniors, small business owners, and many other groups depend on the convenience and accessibility it offers. Forcing people to undertake a potentially challenging, resource-consuming journey to another location is not a viable solution. Clapham PO has already closed, and Brixton PO is also being threatened with closure. So many local banks have closed that the post office is often the only place residents can access banking services.
Post offices are a lifeline for many members of the community, especially those who cannot access online services. 17 million UK adults rely on their local post office – a reflection of its continued importance (source: Citizens Advice Bureau). Here in Kennington, Oval, Princes and Vauxhall we form a significant part of this population, and our needs must be taken into account.
Our MP, Florence Eshalomi, and local councillors are already making the case for the Kennington Park branch to be saved. Florence called a well-attended community meeting in November, where initial plans to campaign were made, and she has met with the national leadership of the Post Office to advocate on Kennington’s behalf.
An online petition has been set up to fight any closure decision. You can add your name here, and we urge you to do so. We won last time by demonstrating the strength of local opposition to closure – we can do it again!
