A major announcement is expected on April 1 – and the mood is gloomy in the wake of a controversial Government cull in Great Britain.

Royal Mail has announced the closure of 2,500 offices across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Post Office is refusing to comment on possible closures here, but an approach similar to Great Britain would result in the axing of 10-20 per cent of Northern Ireland's 540 branches.

Last night the Cookstown-based Rural Community Network (RCN) said if such closures experienced in Great Britain were carried over to the Province it would have a devastating effect on pensioners.

"Research has shown that older people in Northern Ireland are significantly more reliant on post offices than in England," said Mark Allen, RCN research officer.

"What the decision-makers may not appreciate is that to able-bodied people with cars, these closures may not seem significant.

"But to vulnerable pensioners or lone parents, and people with literacy problems, the service is like a bank, community centre and general advice bureau all rolled into one.

"Many postmasters have told us that the services they provide to pensioners fall far outside their official remit, such as helping them fill in important forms and advising them on how to access other essential services.

"And the postmasters are also subject to a draconian confidentiality clause which forbids them from discussing who is to close. If they break confidentiality they could forfeit any compensation."

The Post Office offers over 170 products and services including travel and financial services, bill payments, licence applications and postal services.

But it says says fewer people are using branches, partly because many services are now be provided online.

In Northern Ireland, one in every five rural branches has fewer than 100 customer visits a week. The Government has provided £1.7 billion until 2011 to fund a programme of change and on April 1, the Province will hear about the changes proposed.

Alternatives to rural branches include mobile post offices, hosted or partner services or home delivery services.

However Mr Allen said that even these replacement services were only funded until 2012 and that nobody knew how they would be replaced after that.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell said he was expecting closures of between 40 to 100 branches in Northern Ireland.

"This would equate to roughly 10 to 20 per cent of all branches closing," he said.

"But what has not been explained is why even many profitable branches in Great Britain are to be closed.

"The solution as many people see it is to explore the many possibilities of diversification for rural Post Offices into other types of business.

"The Labour Government almost lost a vote on these cutbacks in recent days because many of their MPs are coming under pressure from constituents, so the Government may need to look at this whole issue again".

ENDS