THE closure of the Post Office in Yate is a reminder that in a rapidly changing world we will lose some of those things we thought would never change.

The internet has irrevocably changed our world and country – and while a great deal of good has come from these changes a consequence is the loss of some things that form part of our identity.

With a wave of businesses and organisations vanishing from the physical high street and taking residence online, the way we live our daily lives is altering beyond recognition.

The question we have to ask ourselves is whether this kind of 'progress' is truly a negative thing, or if it just feels that way because we are resistant to change by nature.

For many, the Post Office is more than just a company that delivers mail. The post office is the hub of the community and the organisation a national institution.

The web may make a lot of things easier but one thing we can all mourn is the loss of yet another human interaction.

Each time a shop, bank, business and, of course, post office closes its doors we lose the brief moments of conversation and interaction that comprise a healthy existence.

We all appreciate the internet and the incredible things that can be achieved through its use, but let us not abandon the things that bring us together with other people – the things that make us human beings.

Let us hope North Road gets its post office back.