HUNDREDS of people delivered a message of support to Post Office campaigners in the town centre last Saturday.

Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) were out in Andover to rally against the announcement made in October by the Post Office that the town’s branch could be relocated to WHSmith as a franchise.

The activists had around 400 Andover shoppers sign their petition to save Post Office closures, undeterred by the rainy weather on December 1.

Martin Sheppard, CWU Wessex South Central branch secretary, said: “Considering the weather on Saturday we had a fantastic response from members of the public in Andover.

“Saturday was just the start of a long campaign to stop the privatisation of our Crown [post] office network.”

The union is concerned about terms and conditions of workers being diminished if they are transferred to WHSmith employment, with fears the move could also see reduced pay.

A CWU spokesperson added: “The service will be worse and also access to the shop for the general public. Parents with prams, disabled and the elderly are not a priority for the Post Office as long as it follows their business module.”

CWU’s territorial representative Susan Angell-Whyte was out campaigning in Andover on Saturday and said she was impressed with the number of people interested in the petition and happy to stop and talk in the rain.

Susan said in many cases Post Office staff with 20, 30 or 40 years of experience tend to take a settlement and leave the business rather than move across to WHSmith, but added she is unsure of the views of Andover staff so far.

The union representative is due to engage with the Andover Post Office staff about how they feel about the plan.

She added: “There are customers who loyally have been going to the Post Office over the years and now they are putting profit over everything, which is sad.”

The Post Office has told The Advertiser a six-week public consultation will be held in the new year with “very detailed plans” about how the branch will be incorporated into the retailer.

A spokesperson added: “We take the utmost care supporting our staff and we are talking with them about the changes and their potential options which can include transfer of their employment to WHSmith in line with Transfer of Undetakings (Protection of Employment) legislation.”