THE closure of post offices in Salisbury, Fordingbridge and Downton is as many of your readers will know part of a nationwide programme of asset stripping by the holding company running the ‘service’ and could be regarded as a metaphor for the fate of our public services once they are privatised.

Up and down the country, from Paisley to Peterborough, Halifax to Stoke-on-Trent or Bognor to Penzance post offices have already shut or are under imminent threat of closure with services, as here in Salisbury, being franchised out into other premises with obvious implications for the range of services offered, waiting times and space.

Some towns, like Wirksworth in Derbyshire, have lost their postal service altogether!

Whilst Post Office boss Tim Parker would no doubt say that he needs to cut costs, is not a civilised postal service something which is worth subsidising, if need be, from general taxation?

This society from the Victorians onwards managed to build and run excellent public services.

It seems that the modern Zeitgeist is to sell off everything and cash in, even if the public have to stand in line for ages.

The empty post office buildings in Fordingbridge, Salisbury and elsewhere remind us what we have lost as a result of that ethos.

BOB STEEL

Downton

Salisbury Green Party