People who object to the closure of the post office at the Co-op store in Larkman Lane held 'save our post office' banners outside the store yesterday.

The post office shut last Monday along with the closure of the Co-op store. The owner of the Larkman Lane shops has a new tenant for the building who is intending to open a new shop and has applied to become the new subpostmaster.

However, Post Office Ltd is asking the potential postmaster to pay up to �44,000 in start-up costs, and as the postmaster would just be working on commission, the start-up fee would prevent him from taking on the branch.

Green Party campaigners have launched a petition calling for the start-up fee to be cancelled so the post office can be re-opened.