A petition to save Leighton Buzzard Post Office has now reached 2,900 signatures in just four weeks.

The online campaign was started by the town’s Lib Dem group after news broke last month that the Church Square site was earmarked for closure along with more than 100 other crown branches in the UK.

The councillors are now appealing for businesses or community groups to get in touch, as they can supply them with paper copies for people to sign.

However, the Post Office says that the restructure aims to boost postmaster pay by £250 million over five years.

'Save Our Post Office' say members of the town's Lib Dem group. Image supplied by Councillor Chris Leaman.

placeholder image — 'Save Our Post Office' say members of the town's Lib Dem group. Image supplied by Councillor Chris Leaman.

Councillor Leaman, claimed: "We have been inundated with support and we are trying to see if we can reach 3,000 signatures.

"It's really clear that this is a short sighted decision by the Post Office for what is a really valuable asset to the community.

"There's a role that the Post Office plays, a really important role. The local economy needs it, as the High Street is struggling in Leighton Buzzard.

"Having that resource is important especially as so many banks are going under - two are closing in town."

Councillor Leaman also pointed out that the Post Office is relied upon by businesses and market traders as a place to deposit their cash.

He continued: "It's a really important service that the town needs.

"If you need a passport, driving licence, if you want to have that expert support, that's what the Post Office can give.

"For some it's a lifeline - a really important place they can go to once a week."

It’s expected that the petition will be submitted to the Post Office in the new year.

You can sign online here - and keep an eye out for paper copies in the High Street.

If your shop or community group would like a paper copy, please email: [email protected]

Councillor Leaman concluded: "The Post Office is saying they need to change their business model, but we're saying we need a really strong community asset."

The news of the restructure came after a strategic review was led by the Post Office’s new chairman, Nigel Railton, which was designed to overhaul how the organisation operates.

The changes also aim to improve branches’ banking offers for customers, and see a "lower-risk, better value" IT system for sub-postmasters.