SIR - Thousands of post offices have closed, inconveniencing their customers, but many of those still open are running at a loss.

Audrey Raistrick says that: "If banks want pensions and other public benefits paid to them, they should pay something back and have a corner of their premises for postal services as a gesture of goodwill" (T&A, March 20).

Does Mrs Raistrick not realise that if what she advocates came to fruition, then the two remaining post offices in Sunbridge Road and Darley Street would lose more trade, which might force them to close their doors too?

Of course the Council could subsidise these post offices, but in today's economic climate that would mean putting up council taxes, which would go down like a lead balloon, while price increases in the face of strong competition would be disastrous.

However, to placate Mrs Raistrick and bring about an all-round solution, perhaps the banks should take over Post Office services in their entirety.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford