Sir Ed Davey has urged the Post Office to delay the planned closure of its Surbiton branch until the New Year.
The Victoria Road location is due to close on 4 October, after Morrisons Daily announced it would shut its Surbiton store.
Campaigns led by the Liberal Democrat leader and his fellow Kingston and Surbiton constituency councillors resulted in the Post Office agreeing to keep the branch open until October while searching for a new operator, and Davey has now called for a further delay
Davey told SW Londoner: “I would like to see the delay in the closure of the branch extended into the New Year and for the Post Office to find a new home in Surbiton as soon as possible.
“It is so important residents don’t lose access to key services both long term and over the Christmas holiday.
“It gives local residents easy access to vital services, making sure people are not forced to travel far, while the Post Office finds a new home for the local branch.”
Customers will be directed to alternative branches at Alexandra Drive, Hawks Road and Thames Ditton if a new operator is not found before the scheduled closure date, each around 1.5 miles from the current site.
Davey, who has served as Kingston and Surbiton‘s MP for a total of 21 years over two separate periods, emphasised the effects the closure would have on residents.
He said: “Many constituents made me aware of the impact a closure would have on them, leaving many in Surbiton and Kingston without these vital services.
“From banking to passport renewal, or paying your bills and sending post. These are services not provided by any other local business. “
A Post Office spokesperson previously said the organisation has received “many expressions of interest” from prospective operators and is working to open a replacement branch as soon as possible.
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