THE fate of eight post offices in Bury South which face closure will be known soon, but the omens are not good.

Yesterday (Thurs April 15), Post Office bosses said that final decisions will be given later, but announced that five post offices in Bury North will close their doors in May. They were among 13 branches throughout the borough which in February were earmarked for proposed shutdowns.

In Bury South, there has been considerable opposition to the planned closures. During the public consultation exercise, which came to an end last month, hundreds of people signed petitions to keep the post offices open.

Political groups in Bury South have been involved in fighting the closures, as has MP Ivan Lewis.

Watchdog group Postwatch has lodged a formal objection against the closure of branches in Besses o' th' Barn, Hillock, Bury New Road in Whitefield, Whittaker Lane in Prestwich and Chapelfield in Radcliffe.

Other branches which face being shut down are at Danesway, Prestwich; Park Lane, Whitefield; and Radcliffe Hall.

The prospects for Besses and Hillock offices do not look promising, despite their being in a deprived area.

Residents, with petitions and letters submitted through the Whitefield and Unsworth area board, appealed to save those branches from the axe.

The Post Office has now replied, saying that both branches meet the criteria for closure. Besses has two branches within a mile, and the nearest alternative branch to Hillock is 0.7 miles away, with a second branch a little over a mile away.

The PO acknowledges that Besses is among the most deprived 20 per cent of wards in the country, but says that only the most deprived ten per cent can be classed as "urban deprived" and therefore receive special treatment.

It also acknowledges the impact on low-income families and pensioners, and that car ownership is low, but adds that a senior manager has visited the area to do a survey, and say that there are direct bus links to alternative branches.

The matter will be discussed at the area board which meets on Tuesday (April 20) at Ribble Drive Primary School.