The public is asked to make its views known on the proposed closure of Ballasalla post office counter service and replacement with a self-service kiosk.

A public meeting with Post Office bosses was held on Friday, January 10. Another is to be held on Friday, January 17, at 7pm at the village parish hall.

The announcement of the closure - just before Christmas - 'shocked and astounded’ residents.

The Isle of Man Post Office said the sub post office is not commercially viable and when the sub post master at Ballasalla resigned his position was not advertised. People can use Castletown instead.

Jason Moorhouse, MHK for Castletown and Malew, urged the public to respond by January 24.

He said the decision is part of the ’managed decline’ in the network by the Post Office, an approach supported by Tynwald, but not by him.

’The Post Office’s continued failure to innovate and provide an expanded range of products for the sub-post office network makes growth in a very challenging market impossible,’ he said.

He added: ’My real concerns are the impact on local people and how the potential effects are being underplayed. The Isle of Man Post Office does not seem to recognise the importance to the 170 customers registered to collect benefits and pensions from Ballasalla post office every week. In addition, many more people choose to pay their bills and buy products there.’

With the bypass development Ballasalla needs more - not fewer - services.

And Ye Olde Bakery - where the post office is situated - has new leaseholders Abby and Nathan Wakefield heavily invested in making the shop the heart of village life.

’This proposed change could make a core business in the village struggle,’ said Mr Moorhouse. ’Retailing in the village should be on the verge of a ’golden era’ as the number of homes in Malew is now expected to increase by over a third in the next five years, compared with the 959 at the last census.’

He added: ’What we are now seeing is the inevitable collapse and disappearance of what should be a core element of island life.’