That was the warning from local MP Tim Loughton as he was presented with hundreds of signed petition cards calling for the Post Office to control the successor to the Post Office Card Account (POCA).

The account is used by people to access benefits, state pensions and tax credit payments from the Post Office.

It was introduced in 2003, but ministers decided in 2006 not to renew the £1billion contract when it expires, in 2010.

Forced to close

Following a major campaign by the National Federation of Sub-postmasters (NFSP), which led to a petition of four million names being handed to Downing Street, the government decided to introduce a successor to the card account – dubbed the "POCA2", which the Post Office now has to bid for.

The NFSP says if the Post Office does not win the bid, 3,000 more post offices will be forced to close.

Glenys Lewis-Ford is sub-postmistress at the Southwick Square Post Office.

Family business

The local post office has been in her family for three generations, since her grandfather started running it in 1940.

She said losing the card account could spell disaster for the branch, which had already seen the number of people calling in drop steeply.

Mrs Lewis-Ford told the Herald: "It has gone down a lot, even with the other post offices closing."

She added losing the bid for the POCA successor, coupled with parking arrangements nearby, could spell disaster for the branch.

Taken from Square

"I wouldn't like to say what our chances would be of staying open," said Mrs Lewis-Ford.

"All my expenses are going up, we are getting no free parking here, and it all takes away from the Square.

"You don't get people browsing. When it was built, there was no parking limit.

"Everyone is in a rush to get back to the car park in half an hour."

Crazy distance

Mr Loughton was at the post office branch on Friday, October 3, to receive the cards and meet people supporting the campaign.

He said: "If we lost this post office, the distance people would have to go to the nearest one would be crazy. And, of course, it would affect the Square as well."

What do you think?

How important are post offices to communities?

What affect have post office closures had on your life/business?

Share your views, comment below, email the Herald or write in to Readers' Letters, Shoreham Herald, Cannon House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing, BN11 1NA.

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