THE Post Office has moved to quash rumours that its branch in Liden is closing.

And a parish councillor has been criticised for causing confusion among customers after continuing to claim it is.

More than 600 people signed a petition to save the facility only to discover it wasn’t needed.

A Post Office spokeswoman told the Adver the branch would remain open and be running as usual.

“It seems that there was some confusion, but it is not closing, and nothing will be changed,” she said.

Last month the Adver reported fears that the facility inside the Tesco Express in Liden Village Centre could close as soon as April this year.

But local Conservative parish councillor Zachary Hawson said he had emails from Tesco and the Post Office confirming that it will not close and was critical of fellow councillor Bazil Solomon for spreading confusion.

“I hope that this that he will stop worrying residents, particularly elderly ones, and perhaps suspend his petition since it is unnecessary,” he said.

“Concerns that the Post Office was closing came about because Tesco were interested in removing the current franchise who manages the PO and taking back the lease on the space so that they could run it themselves when the lease was up renewal later this year.

“They have since decided not to do so and the Post Office will be continuing exactly as it is, with no closure in sight.”

Last month Mr Hawson spoke to Tesco and the Post Office as well as MP Robert Buckland to warn them of the impact closure would have on the community, especially the elderly in the area who used it to withdraw their pensions.

And at the time the Adver approached the head offices of both firms about the rumour, only to be told there were no plans to terminate the lease on the facility.

Coun Solomon insisted: “They were asking for the post office to be moved into Liden library, so that means there was something going on last year and why are they moving businesses into that

library?

“I spoke to the owner’s son, Tesco and Post Office Ltd, they refused to provide information.

“They keep telling the public that things are fine whilst our public services disappear. Look at what has happened to Honda.”

He explained: “We launched a petition to get our MPs and Post Office Ltd and Tesco to provide us with written confirmation that it will be saved.

“We have almost 600 signatures through an online petition company. Residents are behind me,” he

added.