A grassroots campaign to save thousands of Post Office branches has claimed victory after ministers reversed plans that critics feared would trigger widespread closures.
Thousands of local Post Offices across Devon and Somerset have been granted a reprieve following a policy U-turn by the Labour government, which has now pledged to protect the national network.
The uncertainty began after a government Green Paper published last summer suggested the Post Office could abandon its long-standing “minimum branch requirement” — a move campaigners warned would lead to closures across rural and urban communities.
Farmer and campaigner James Wright helped launch a nationwide effort in response. The campaign, centred on the belief that Post Offices form part of the “social fabric” of British towns, gathered momentum as 180,000 people signed a national petition calling on the government to maintain the current network.
Campaigners argued that branches provide vital postal and retail services, as well as increasingly essential banking facilities in areas affected by traditional bank branch closures.
Confirming the policy shift, Post Office Minister Blair McDougall MP announced that 11,500 branches will now be protected under a mandatory minimum requirement. The government has committed £483 million over the next two years to modernise operations.
In response, James Wright said: “This is a victory for everyone who relies on their Post Office. For too long, our rural communities and high streets have watched their essential services disappear. By protecting these 11,500 branches, we are not just saving an important lifeline; we are saving our local economies.”
He added: “The government’s original plan to scrap the minimum branch requirement was a death sentence for the ‘last shop’ in many villages. While we welcome the modernisation and the long-overdue removal of the Horizon system, our focus now shifts to ensuring this funding reaches the frontline postmasters who have kept this country.”
Under the new rules, more than half of all branches will be required to operate on a full-time basis to ensure consistent service for customers.
The announcement follows months of uncertainty over the future of the network.
