ANOTHER York post office is to close.

The Eastholme Drive Post Office, in Rawcliffe, will shut down on June 29.

Though it will then cease to trade as a post office, the newsagent business there will continue to operate.

The Post Office said it had terminated the contract of sub-postmaster William Betteridge.

When the Evening Press asked Mr Betteridge about what the Post Office had said about the contract, he said he did not wish to comment on their statement.

Earlier he said: "We are all very sad it is closing on June 29.

"The Post Office is looking for new premises to run it from. The Post Office decided they wanted to move it to somewhere bigger and brighter.

"I've worked for the Post Office for nine years. We just decided we were going to call it a day with them.

"It was their decision to close the post office.

"We have taken it as far as we can go. Anything else is up to the Post Office."

Mr Betteridge said alternative locations had been suggested, but a full vetting process must take place.

He said: "It's the end of a very long relationship and I've enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Some things have to come to an end - nothing is forever.

"The customers are upset. Some people sympathise, some people get cross with me. It's just the end, people don't like change."

A Post Office spokesman said: "We have terminated his (Mr Betteridge's) contract, but at the moment he's allowing us to continue using the premises.

"The premises in which this post office is located will no longer be

available after June 29. We are therefore advertising for a new subpostmaster who must be able to provide suitable alternative premises."

Local councillor Irene Waudby said: "I hope they can find alternative premises. We have a lot of elderly people around here and I've already had one or two people on the phone saying they were worried.

"It's a long way for people to go somewhere else, especially if they have no transport.

"I know that in this day and age of post office closures that it is very difficult. I know my fellow ward councillors have had people ringing them about it as well."

The loss of the Eastholme Drive post office follows a series of closures. Six post offices - in Gale Lane, Holgate Road, Albermarle Road, Boroughbridge Road, Clarence Street and Fishergate - shut in November last year.

There was further controversy when a seventh branch, in Bishopthorpe Road, closed in February.

Updated: 08:39 Wednesday, May 25, 2005