A POST office in Baildon is to close next week - a day before an official public consultation about its future ends.

The Post Office had announced plans to transfer the small Westgate Post Office to a new-style business at Martin McColl's store in Northgate in March next year.

A six-week public consultation ends on November 24 but Councillor Val Townend has discovered that the Post Office will now close on November 23 leaving residents without any town centre service during the run-up to Christmas, with the nearest alternative being Ronnie's Store in Station Road.

Cllr Townend (Con, Baildon) said: "I only discovered this by chance and it's important people know what's going on.

"I popped into the Westgate office to buy a TV licence and was told by the temporary staff that it will be shutting on November 23.

"They said the landlords wanted the property vacant by the end of the month and it would take a week to empty out all the fittings.

"However the Post Office's consultation doesn't even finish until November 24 and the proposed new shop in McColl's isn't due to open until March.

"Like everyone else, I thought we'd be getting a continuous service until then. There's been no suggestion otherwise.

"I was delighted it's moving as opposed to just closing but for this to happen at Christmas, surely the busiest time of the year, will make things very difficult for those who live at the top of Baildon, particularly the many elderly people."

A Post Office spokesman apologised for the early closure of the Westgate office.

"Post Office would assure customers that we are working hard to open the new branch as soon as possible," said the spokesman.

"Baildon Post Office is in the process of six week public consultation regarding the proposal to relocate this branch to McColls Retail Group, 4 Northgate.

"The branch would open from 5.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Saturday and from 5.30am to 1pm on Sunday. This would offer an extra 36 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service every week.

"Post Office had hoped that the current branch would continue to operate until the move takes place.

"Regrettably, following the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use, the branch will now close on Monday, November 23 at 5.30pm."

Baildon Town Council chairman Joe Ashton described the situation as "unfortunate to say the least".

"However I assume it's just the result of two different process happening simultaneously.

"I think it's still worth carrying out the consultation and luckily we do have two other Post Offices in Baildon on Station Road, less than five minutes drive or by bus, and also Coach Road down beside Roberts Park."