A petition has been launched in a bid to safeguard Caernarfon Post Office.

Set up by Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts, Siân Gwenllian MS, Cllr Cai Larsen and Llŷr Huws Gruffydd MS, it calls on the Post Office to secure face-to-face, over-the-counter services in Caernarfon, saying “the proposal to close the Caernarfon branch rides roughshod over the needs of customers,” the petition states.

“We urge the Post Office to re-think any plans to close this important local branch.”

The ‘Cambrian News’ was asked to share the politicians’ fears for the future of the Caernarfon Post Office last week, but the Post Office said then that no decision has been made about the branch.

The politicians fear one will be made soon, and aim to stop the possible closure by gathering public support through the petition.

As well as setting up a petition, the four Plaid Cymru politicians told the ‘Cambrian News’ that they had also written to the Post Office urging them to reconsider plans to close the branch, and reached out to acting Chief Executive Neil Brocklehurst to express concerns about the possible effects of closure on their constituents.

They said the Post Office “is duty-bound” to offer a certain level of face-to-face services in order to comply with the accessibility needs of residents, Gwynedd has a higher median age than Wales as a whole, and “some of our more senior constituents remain digitally excluded”.

“Digital poverty is a very real issue in our communities, which places even more emphasis on the need for in-person services,” they said.

They add that Caernarfon serves a wider, more rural area than the town and a lack of a proper public transport means expecting people to travel further to access services is unreasonable.

Find the petition at https://www.dwyformeirionnydd.wales/save_caernarfon_post_office