Recently a union boss has warned that postal workers may go on strike due to proposed cuts to the service.

The Post Office has drafted plans to modernise the service, including reducing the number of collection days, cutting post office hours and branches and increasing postal charges after it made a loss for the first time in its history.

We asked residents how often they use a post office.

’I used the post office last week to send two letters,’ said Dodo Bickerdike, 83, from Douglas. ’One was to a friend in Spain and to another near Bristol. Both of them do not have computers.

’Another letter I have recently sent is to Lancashire. I posted some photos of my chihuahua to show a man, who I’d met when I’d bought her, how she is growing. He’s said he will write a letter back to say thanks.’

Dodo says it’s ’very important’ to have the postal service.

’I’m quite reliant on it.

’When I lived somewhere else I used to take my letters to the Crosby Terrace post office in Douglas, which is shut now.

’I was just across the road from it, but going to the one in Strand Street doesn’t matter to me really as it’s not too far from where I live.’

Douglas resident Richard Kewley, 58, said: ’I use the post office in Strand Street once a week when I go in to collect my dole and I also collect it for the woman I live with.

’The staff there are all nice.’

Mark Plant, 33, from Ramsey, said: ’I used a post office two days ago to send an oversized letter. I tried to send a big parcel over using the online service, but it directed me to somewhere online like "Parcel Monkey" or something. I went in to a post office because it was easier.

’You tend to use the post office for something out of the ordinary.

’The number of post offices have substantially reduced. It was the same problem in Ramsey with the Courthouse and people were saying "keep it", but at the end of the day you need to have a demand.’

He added that there is a post office stereotype as the ’older generation like that interaction’ with the postal workers and the ’younger generation prefer to pay online and see it delivered’.

Fred Atherton, 21, from Greeba, said: ’I’ve never used the post office. My mum goes in and does it for me and I give her the money later.’

However, he does believe the postal service is a ’big part of the community’.

His friend Connor Gilbert, 20, from Peel said: ’I like the posties, they’re really nice.

’I do think the post service is more popular with the older generation. Social media’s come in and it’s the influence of social media that has reduced the sending of letters.’

Fred agreed: ’It’s 100% an age thing.’

Laura Collett, 29, from Colby, said: ’I use it to return parcels and to pay car tax. I think the postal service is crucial. If we didn’t have it we wouldn’t have our post.’

Friend Sophie Moore, 31, from Douglas, said: ’I used it on Tuesday to renew my driving licence. I paid my car tax online this year.

’Icouldn’t be bothered walking down town and I probably left it until the last minute to do it.

’I think the number of post offices they have now needs to stay. What happens if older people need one but cannot drive there?’