THE Sub-postmaster of Tintagel Post Office has told the 'Post' that his family's decision to close the business after 26 years was not easy to make, but changes in how the Post Office is run meant it is no longer economically viable.

Mick Goward, who runs the Post Office with his daughter, Jackie Burnard, said over the years, services have either been taken away from them or introduced in places other than the Post Office.

Examples of this include the introduction of Pay Points, to enable customers to pay their bills and renew their TV licencing.

There are two in Tintagel alone, and it allows people to pay their bills at the same time they do their shopping.

The Post Office has also encouraged people to have their benefits paid directly into their bank accounts, further reducing the need for people to visit their local Post Office and also reducing the money paid to the subpostmaster for each transaction made over the counter.

Mick said: "Government police in introducing and heavily promoting its services through the internet, such as renewing car taxes, has had a serious effect on small Post Offices.

"A bill payment through other shops rather than the Post Office is another nail in the coffin. It is actions like this which has made my office and many other offices financially unviable. We had a slogan 'use it or lose it.' People didn't believe this but it has now proved true.

"If the money's not coming in then we can't keep paying out."

Some customers now also use their own Royal Mail franking machine, which enables them to pay for postage at a reduced rate direct to Royal Mail, thus taking away another transaction from the Post Office.

Over the last two years, Mick said his salary has gone down by a third, so on reflection, he had no other choice.

This is despite the introduction of a number of services that have not been available in other local post offices, such as passport checking, on demand currency and money telegrams.

At the end of November, Mick gave the statutory three months' notice, but due to the support given to the family by their customers, Jackie has agreed to continue a Post Office service for an extra month, until March 31, while alternative facilities are persued by Post Office Counters.

The service offered by Jackie will be at reduced hours, but the Post Office will be open from Monday to Friday 9am to 12.30pm.

"That's a thank you to the people that have supported us over the years. Most people are very supportive because they understand."

Tintagel Post Office also acts as an agent for the Cornwall Air Ambulance Lottery, but arrangements are being made for it to be moved to another location in the village.

Mick, Gill and Jackie have expressed their thanks to all the customers who remained loyal to them, especially when the government abolished the pension and family allowance books.