A PETITION backed by around 500 people has been handed over to the Post Office in a bid to not lose the service from an area of Burnley.

The company has operated the current Rose Hill Post Office premises at the junction of Calderbrook Avenue and Manchester Road for the last 80 years but the facility will close following the retirement of postmaster Steve Harvey.

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The management is looking to move the facility either 650m to the Premier Top Shop at 530 Cog Lane near the junction with Rossendale Road or into the Spar Shop two doors do- wn from the current premises.

Local Liberal Democrat councillors Gordon Birtwistle and Geoff Sumner started a petition to keep the Post Office near its current location after being inundated with objections from neighbouring residents regarding it being moved further away.

Post Office bosses said the new location will provide a modern open-plan retail environment, and seven-day opening — increasing the facility’s availability to customers to 112 hours a week.

Cllr Birtwistle (Coal Clough & Deerplay) said: “The issue here is purely that the site in Cog Lane is not in an area that many people live around. By opening a Post Office there it would be removing that service from the heart of the community where it is currently based.

“Residents feel very strongly about this and I hope that the company take their views into consideration.”

The Post Office launched a consultation last month to canvass residents’ views — it closed this week.

County Cllr Margaret Brindle said: “I have mixed feelings about this as I can see it from both sides.

“The residents who live near the Post Office now of course do not want to lose the service from their doorsteps. But on the other hand, those near Cog Lane have never had one up there and it would be very useful to them.

“I hope that whatever decision is made is with the community in mind.”

Post Office Ltd North West regional manager Suzanne Richardson said previously said the company understands how important having a Post Office is to residents in Burnley.

She said the organisation was confident that this new modern Post Office service would meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future.