A HABBERLEY councillor has vowed to fight tooth and nail to keep a post office on the estate after it was announced it would close its doors days before Christmas.

The post office, located in Dave's Discount Store in Canterbury Road, will close its doors on Wednesday (December 23), at 4pm, but a Post Office spokesman has said the closure will only be temporary.

Councillor Nigel Knowles, Labour leader and ward councillor for Habberley North, said he will lobby to keep the services on the estate for residents as the permanent closure of the post office would be a "disaster".

The closure comes after the discount store was recently cleared out and the postmaster resigned.

A spokesman for the Post Office said: "Following the resignation of the postmaster and the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use, Canterbury Road Post Office will close at its current location on December 23 at 4pm.

"We apologise for any inconvenience that this temporary closure may cause.

"We are committed to providing a Post Office service in this area.

"Post Office Ltd is currently investigating options available to reinstate a sustainable Post Office service to the local community as soon as possible.

"This may be a new style branch known as a Post Office local. Post Office locals run alongside an established local shop and create a more modern and convenient retail experience for customers with longer opening hours in newly refurbished premises."

Councillor Knowles said: "I am still lobbying for the Post Office services to be retained in Habberley.

"I handed a petition in with more than 400 signatures from residents to maintain the services in Habberley.

"What I am hoping is the landlord of the premises will allow another post office to open. The people of Habberley really need that service.

"For it to close just before Christmas as well - it is very frustrating for people to have to travel to Franche to collect their pensions or use the services.

"The Post Office closure would be a disaster. Hundreds of elderly and other people live on the estate.

"Many people get their pensions at the Post Office and many people do not have a bank account. There is no bus route to the nearest post office at Franche.

"Hopefully we can maintain the post office in the area, as it has been there for 60 years."

During the period of closure, the nearest post office services will be at the Franche post office in Franche Road, or the Kidderminster post office in Vicar Street.

The vacancy is currently advertised on the Post Office website corporate.postoffice.co.uk/business-opportunities.