Legendary musician Rick Wakeman brands Diss Post Office closure plan an ‘absolute disgrace’

Legendary musician and former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman has backed the fight to keep Diss Crown Post Office open – branding the proposal an “absolute disgrace.”

The Post Office is seeking retail partners for 37 of its branches, including the premises in Market Place, which it says will secure its services in communities around the UK for the long term.

Changes could take up 18 months to implement and would be subject to a six week public consultation, but the plan has attracted criticism.

A petition was launched by the South Norfolk Liberal Democrats last month and MP Richard Bacon said its closure would be “foolish”.

Wakeman, who lives locally, has backed another petition to save the branch, which has already attracted more the 300 signatures.

The post read: “It’s a major part of the town and always extremely busy and a very necessary part of the community.

It’s a major part of the town and always extremely busy and a very necessary part of the community

“I despair at the faceless people who make these decisions. They hide behind bureaucracy and seem to have little care about town communities and what they mean to people.

“I can only hope that the unnamed people wielding the hatchet discover care and common sense.”

A spokesperson for the Post Office told the Diss Express their advertisement for retail partners closed on Wednesday, and said their had been interest.

They added they would now carefully consider any plans before drawing up more detailed proposals.

The latest petition, endorsed by Wakeman, was started at the weekend by Brigitte Butcher, who lives just outside the town.

She said she was compelled to start it after she watched “excellent” staff help with query of an elderly member of the public.

And she fears independent traders could be hit should the Post Office move.

“It is the hub of the town and there are a lot of people who come into the town to use that Post Office and from that, they go to other shops,” she said.

“You cannot just accept these decisions without a fight and without a good reason.”

Wakeman had previously campaigned to save Scole’s Post Office back in 2008, but the branch closed later that year.

View the petition at www.change.org/p/save-diss-post-office