THE CO-Operative has confirmed it will not open a post office service in its Somerfields store, which neighbours their closing newsagent.

Balfour News, in Southdown Road, and its sub-Post Office, will close on December 29, the Co-Operative revealed last week.

Since hearing of the news councillors and local residents have called on the business to ‘act responsibly’ and consider opening a Post Office service in its Somerfields store or any other of its local stores.

Last night a motion, lodged by Councillor Teresa Heritage, to urge the Co-Operative to consider opening the Post Office service in its Somerfields store in Southdown received unanimous support.

But the Co-Operative, who agreed to buy the Somerfield’s chain in July this year, say it has no control over the separate businesses until the deal is completed.

It also blamed lack of support from the community as the catalyst of the abrupt closure.

Monica Nelson, spokeswoman for the Co-Operative, said: “As a Co-operative business, we take our social, ethical and environmental responsibilities very seriously.

“We have also continued to campaign widely on issues such as climate change and Fairtrade.

“Our Southdown Road Balfour store and Post Office was not well supported by the community and, regrettably, its poor trading performance has left us with no option but to close.

“It is for the Post Office to decide whether it wishes to find a new location but we do not have any other suitable sites in the area for the service.

“Our planned acquisition of Somerfield is subject to a number of requirements by the Office of Fair Trading.

“Until these requirements have been met and the deal is completed, Somerfield remains a separate business over which we have no control.

“The Southdown Road store needed to be converted to our new business identity but we could not justify the cost because of its poor trading performance.”