There will be an emergency meeting of the Commissioners’ board in Port St Mary next week to discuss the future of the village’s post office.

Villagers who attended a packed public meeting at the town hall on Monday this week fear post office counter services will close when current sub-postmaster Jeff Calvert retires after nine years in charge.

The Post Office has met with commissioners and constituency MHKs to outline how services could be maintained in some form - but this just involves parcel pick-ups and stamp purchases.

It has launched a consultation, which ends on December 14, but residents fear it is a done deal with no other alternatives considered.

Commissioners will be holding an emergency general meeting next week to discuss their formal response.

Chairman Dr Michelle Haywood said: ’They are consulting on something they’ve already decided. It’s a huge downgrade in service.

’Post St Mary’s demographic is 30% retired people. The post office is a community resource and we saw the connection it provides during the lockdown.’

The Post Office board says the loss-making network of retail outlets is not sustainable in its current size and form.A report on modernising the Post Office retail network, which went to Tynwald last year, forecast losses would climb to £1.73m by 2023-24.

The newsagents in which the post office branch is located is up for sale as a going concern.

In a statement, Isle of Man Post Office said customer needs are changing and the board was looking how this could best be met in a ’financially and socially responsible way’.

It said: ’The board propose not to seek a like-for-like replacement counter service but to find a partner in Port St Mary for parcel collection and to sell postage stamps.

’Covid-19 has significantly increased the number of parcels the Post Office now handles. The parcel collection service at Calvert Newsagents is popular, and the Post Office hopes it can find a suitable replacement to continue this service in the local community.’

’Meanwhile the full range of postal services will continue to be available just over one mile away at Port Erin Post Office.’

It said feedback from the consultation would be taken into account in any changes made. Post Office chairman Julie Edge said she and chief executive Simon Kneen were pleased to attend Monday’s public meeting when they outlined the threats faced by counter services. She said as an example, 88% of Treasury pension and benefits are now paid by bank transfer.

The Post Office thanked Mr Calvert for his ’exemplary loyalty and dedication’.