Macclesfield Post Office living on borrowed time?

Following the announcement that Crewe’s WH Smith’s (and post office) will close in March this year, we have to ask how much longer can Smith’s Macclesfield branch survive – and with it our post office?

Macclesfield has never been in a more parlous state – thanks to the planners and Cheshire East councillors who permitted out-of-town retail parks to proliferate.

The inevitable result being the virtual demise of Macclesfield town centre.

The only towns that are thriving are those where the town councillors have more between the ears (and legs) and roundly rejected the nonsensensical claims that the big retail developments would create jobs.

A visit to Ludlow and Malton should have been on the ‘must-do list for all aspiring councillors (and planners) to see what makes a market town buzz.

In truth councils across the land have contributed to the death of their towns and the loss of thousands, maybe millions of jobs nationwide, lost as a direct result of the march of the retail parks.

Moreover what does the increased traffic to these retail parks do for the council’s green agenda – I’m guessing no one thought of that.

Several of our local planners are on record as actually believing that shoppers will walk or cycle to their nearest retail park.

Marks & Spencer closed down at the end of November, Poundland a week ago and there are an increasing number of empty single retail units on Chestergate.

And if it’s been a while since you ventured down Mill Street, the bottom end is beginning to look like a war zone.

And what do the numpties running Cheshire East do?

They run around like headless chickens questioning what can be done.

Whilst Macclesfield Town Council – remember them – they come knocking every February seeking an increase in the huge annual precept, lifted from our Council Tax – yet don’t even seem able to provide us with a working public toilet.

Maybe getting rid of the planning department and a mass resignation of councillors would be a start.