A rally to keep a post office open received overwhelming support with roughly one hundred people in attendance.

The meeting on Tuesday March 7 at South Harringay School, Mattison Road was held to oppose plans by the Post Office Ltd to franchise the Harringay Crown Post Office, Green Lanes.

Speakers for the night were Tottenham MP David Lammy, St Ann's Ward Cllr Noah Tucker and National Officer for the Communication Workers’ Union Andy Furey.

The current proposals would see the current hub with experienced employees swapped for fewer staff in a smaller space.

Critics argue that this would lead to a loss of business for traders on the high street and that there would be no guarantee that a franchise would continue to provide a Post Office service.

Communication Workers Union National Executive Steve Jones said: “I was overwhelmed at the turn out, never in a million years was I expecting people to be standing at the back as we didn’t have enough chairs.

“This was only organised with two weeks notice and shows the strength of feeling and shows the strength of feeling and affection people have for their local Post Office and the staff who work there were given the biggest round of applause of the night.

“We had people from all ages and walks of life – school children, pensioners, disabled, pregnant women, ordinary members of the public, trade unionists and local business owners.”

The meeting concluded with the unanimous adoption of a motion to support the campaign to defend the site and the decision to form a committee to discourage any potential franchisees from future takeovers.

David Lammy MP said that the campaign was “winnable” and pledged to raise the issue in Parliament after several bank branches in his constituency had closed.

Cllr Noah Tucker said he would raise the issue with Harringey Council as jobs and services in the community continued to be threatened.