A CAMPAIGNING couple from Farnham have launched a pair of petitions challenging the proposed closures of the town’s main Post Office branch and community recycling centre.

Farnham Residents councillor George Hesse mustered almost 400 signatures in just three hours after launching his Post Office petition outside the West Street branch last Saturday.

Meanwhile, George’s wife, architectural designer Yolande Hesse, has to date mustered almost 1,500 signatures online at change.org objecting to Surrey County Council’s proposed closure of the Guildford Road tip.

Mr Hesse’s petition, launched on behalf of the Farnham Residents party, states: “We, the undersigned, petition Mr Roger Gale, the Post Office network and sales director and board of directors, to keep counter services at Farnham’s main post office in West Street and not relocate to WHSmith in The Borough.

“The sta? at the post office are knowledgeable and the premises large enough to serve the many customers who use it and it is well located with the bene?t of a cash machine outside.

“The same cannot be said of WHSmith, with already busy and cramped premises opening on to a very narrow pavement that suffers from the worst air quality in Farnham.

“If the Post Office ultimately have plans to redevelop the West Street site, we ask the counter service remains to provide residents of Farnham a high-quality service into the future.”

It comes after the Post Office confirmed Farnham’s West Street branch is one of up to 40 branches nationwide set to relocate to a WHSmith store, in Farnham’s case in The Borough, in 2019 – subject to a six-week public consultation. Details are yet to be confirmed.

The planned relocations are said to support the long-term sustainability of Post Office branches, coming as part of the company’s modernisation programme, and will bring longer opening hours, including Sundays, in many areas.

However, customers of the Farnham town centre branch reacted angrily when informed of the news by the Herald earlier this month, and Mr Hesse said he spent an “entertaining” morning outside the branch after launching his petition.

“In exactly three hours – from 9.45am to 12.45pm – we obtained 373 signatures, which is 124 per hour or roughly two a minute,” he added.

Mr Hesse now hopes, with the support of his party, to gather more signatures in the town centre on each of the two remaining Saturdays in November. A copy of his petition is also available to sign in 101 Collectors Records, near the post office in West Street.

His wife Yolande’s petition comes after Surrey County Council announced a public consultation on October 29 calling for views on the potential closure of at least four recycling sites – including Farnham’s tip – in a bid to save money.

Titled ’Proposed closure of Farnham recycling centre’, Mrs Hesse’s petition states: “Surrey County Council is considering the closure of the recycling centre in Farnham. This is a busy tip which serves Farnham and surrounding areas.

“Since charges for domestic DIY rubbish were introduced – and then closure of the site two days a week – there has been a marked increase in fly-tipping in this area.

“Fly-tipped rubbish is cleared up by Waverley Borough Council at a cost to us, the taxpayer.

“Closure of the tip will result in more fly-tipping as well as an increase of traffic as people journey to other recycling centres which already have long queues.

“We must fight for the centre to remain open to keep this important facility.”

Mrs Hesse’s petition can be signed online at tinyurl.com/ya45gj32.

Surrey County Council’s consultation will close on January 4 and can be found online at

surreycc.gov.uk/consultations.