A village postmaster hurts his father’s loss Air India plane crash Is facing a fight with Royal Mail To save his business.
Umang Patel participated in India to join hundreds of people who participated Funeral His father, Kirit, who died when a London-bound flight Crashed during takeoff Last week in Ahmedabad.
Kirit Patel was on flight For his annual summer visit to Britain, where he hoped to support his son and his son’s wife, Vaizely, run one Post office And shop for Summerset village of Pennsford near Bristol.
But their immense personal disadvantage is not the only battle, in which to deal with the family, with a decision to close a small distribution office by Royal Mail, which shuts down a small distribution office in the branch, threatening the future of their livelihood.
In April, Umang Patel called the village to support when he told the local Parish Council that the post office made 60 percent of his income, and without it, the branch would not be viable.
The councilors responded by writing to protest against the closure, arguing that it was a “lifeline” for the weaker residents in the community, with the nearest branch three miles away.
A petition has also been initiated, in which more than 1,200 people sign it, after the loss of Mr. Patel’s father last week. According to the rural Jim Madam, the family was also the subject of a crowdfonding campaign that raised £ 11,000 after his death, but he asked to take it down after completing the cost, as they “wanted to take advantage”.
The Royal Mail confirmed that a plan was to close the small delivery office, in which the closure was understood in September.
A spokesperson said: “Our small distribution office is being merged inside the Pennsford Post Office to the new Poulton delivery office. Transferring to a large, dedicated facility will provide better work for our post and support the more efficient distribution service.
“Residents can be assured that delivery will continue normally.”
A post office spokesperson said that a post office area was working with Mr. Patel to help limit the “financial implication” of the move. He said that ways to increase business were also being ascertained.
He said: “We have expressed our honest condolences to the Pencford Postmaster, Umang Patel for the tragic death of our father Kirit Patel in Air India. Plane crashUmang, his wife Vari and two sons are very loving members of the village community. Umang and Varisali have run a first -class post office and shop for more than 10 years and are very popular as a demonstration in the community rally to support them in this difficult time. ,
