Funeral directors in Cam Post Office bid (From Gazette Series)

Funeral directors in Cam Post Office bid

HOPES of keeping a Post Office in Cam have been lifted this week with the news that several businesses have shown an interest in relocating the service.

Last week villagers was shocked and angered when it was announced that the facility, currently located in Cam Co-op, would be forced out when Tesco took over operation of the store.

This week it emerged that at least five businesses have come forward offering a new site for the vital facility, which serves 8,500 villagers.

One of the businesses which has shown an interest is L W Clutterbucks - the funeral directors and hardware store based in the High Street.

"It was to save the Post Office for the community," said joint director of the company Jeremy Clutterbuck, explaining his offer.

"It is a well used resource and it struck us that as a village, Cam cannot be without a post office.

"We quickly came up with a plan and we are looking at the business prospects of it. "The Post Office requires us to apply to them to take the business on. We have met with somebody from the Post Office and they have been very helpful and given us some idea about the figures for us to be able to make a decision. They also told us what we would need to do to enable us to install it here."

Mr Clutterbuck said that Post Office representatives had also visited the other businesses interested in relocating the service.

He added: "It is looking more hopeful. The parish council is very keen to support the local businesses in their applications. Because it is such a vital part of the community we are working together."

Cam Parish Council chairman Cllr Dennis Andrewartha expressed his delight at the news that people were coming forward to relocate the service.

"It sounds like very good news," he said.

"The Post Office believes is it a three-month cycle before they can chose the preferred candidate for relocation. We have still got a problem of keeping it open for three months but we will be talking to Tesco about that when we meet with them on Friday."

Post Office spokesman Dan Panes said they would do everything they could to relocate the facility.

"The situation is that we have got to find somewhere else for the Post Office," he said.

"Obviously we will do everything we can to try and identify somewhere and someone that might be able to provide that. This is a closure we don't want and what we have got to do is have a look at how the land lies and see how we can proceed."

He added that anyone interested in providing a site could call the recruitment line on 08456 016260.