Last post for tearful Jackie

Jackie Rodgers closing Denshaw post office.

EMOTIONAL post-mistress Jackie Rodgers choked back the tears as she put up the “closed” sign on a local post office for the last time yesterday.

The tiny Denshaw shop has served customers for more than 100 years.

And although the shop itself remains open for food and confectionery until Saturday, Jackie’s last postal customer came and went yesterday.

“It’s so upsetting,” she said. “The post office and shop closure has torn the heart out of the village.”

Jackie, a former social services worker, resigned despite a massive campaign to keep the familiar red-door office open as a vital link for locals and travellers heading to the M62.

She made her decision, which leaves the community without any shop, after months of soul-searching.

“I made every effort to keep going because I love the village and didn’t want people to think I had let them down,” she said sadly. “But it has just not been viable. I have lost thousands of pounds.”

The 53-year-old mother-of-three said breaking point came when the planned closure came up for discussion at a local meeting some weeks ago.

Heartbroken

“I expected hundreds to turn up — in fact the meeting was only attended by six people, including a married couple.

“It would only have taken each household in the village to spend £3 a week in the shop to keep it open. It’s as simple as that.”

“As it is, I’m heartbroken but I will finally shut up shop completely this weekend.”

Jackie, who lives in the village with her husband, Malcolm, spent an emotional morning sifting through well-wishers’ cards.

“I have had such a loyal band of customers,” she said. “But I needed more people to help make the business pay. The tragedy is that although they backed a petition to keep the post office open, I hardly saw most of them again.

“During the recent snow storms the shop really came into its own. I was packed with customers wanting everything from a stamp to a loaf of bread.

“If they had only stayed with me it could have been a very different story.”

Ward councillor Alan Roughley, a regular at the shop, said the closure is a blow to the village.

He said: “Denshaw has an infrequent bus service so the closure of the last shop will create a serious problem for those without a car.”

l More than year ago, Jackie faced staring down the barrel of a gun when three armed raiders burst into the post office and escaped with cash and other items. Despite a reward, the gang have never been traced.