The chairman of Malew Commissioners says he’s disappointed a consultation on the future of Ballasalla post office began over the Christmas period.

It’s been announced the counter services offered inside the village newsagents will end in March, after the subpostmaster announced he was stepping down.

The Post Office board sees no future for a ’commercially viable counter-based service’ in Ballasalla, but is asking ’local stakeholders’ for their views.

Malew chairman Nigel Bazley says the commissioners will fight ’tooth and nail’ to keep the counter-based service, which is ’so important to the vulnerable in society’.

He wrote to post office chair Julie Edge MHK requesting an extension to the deadline consultation, which has now been moved to January 24.

For details about a public meeting, see today’s Isle of Man Examiner.