IT was quite sad to read the letter in the Courier (February 14) about all that is available in Crediton, but there was no mention of one of the most important businesses here, THE POST OFFICE.

As we all know, many local Post Offices are now closed and I operate the last private Main Post Office in the area.

Part of the reason we are forgotten is that a lot of the services are now available on-line and only when there is a problem do a lot of people come to us for help. One example is car tax. Many customers come in with the sentence: "Oh, we usually do it on-line but we had a problem, can you sort it out?"

In 99 cases out of 100 we do, but when I point out that if we close, due to a lack of customers, they would then have to go all the way to Exeter to sort out their problems. I then get many angry outbursts.

The customers we see, week in and week out, are fantastic and have a good relationship with the ladies on my staff (I am, of course, out the back making them tea and cakes).

Joking aside, I know the usual complaint is that there is ALWAYS A QUEUE. This is true at times, usually at the end of the month, when so many customers want to pay their bills and car tax etc.

So at this time we are doing double the work. I notice that when I queue in places like the supermarket or Marks and Spencer, nobody complains about queueing because they are buying for pleasure and not paying bills which nobody enjoys.

I also know that a lot of people will say, "why don't you get more staff?" Well, all I will say is I am a private business, struggling to survive, like many other small businesses.

Post Office Ltd are constantly cutting payments, but my costs continue to rise, so I continue and absorb these problems.

I will say, finally, that one bank is closed, another closure is imminent, due to cost cutting. Therefore, on behalf of all the shops in Crediton who work very hard - USE THEM OR LOSE THEM!

Maybe the Chamber of Commerce should lobby to give two hours free parking on the streets, so people could shop, have a coffee and browse the town without fear of a ticket. Tesco can do it. Every little helps...

Chris Schnepp

Postmaster

Crediton Post Office