PLANS to create an emergency post office for Dunnington after its local store was burned to the ground have been turned down.

Costcutter hoped to house a temporary emergency store and post office in the village's Reading Room after its shop, the only grocers in Dunnington, was destroyed by fire last month.

But the plans were rejected by the Reading Room management committee, who held a vote on the issue.

Vice-chairwoman Pat Foster said the committee contacted the charity commissioners for approval of the plans to house the shop and post office in the Reading Room.

But she said the Reading Room, which is run by a charitable trust, must be used for recreation and leisure time, and so it was felt that a shop would be an inappropriate use for the site.

She said: "They said they would take a pragmatic view of housing a post office as they were concerned about the lack of post offices in rural areas. But we were told it would take eight weeks to set a post office up so we had to leave the matter with Costcutter."

Angela Barber, Costcutter's trading and marketing director, said: "We are very disappointed to learn that we are unable to utilise the reading rooms in the village for our temporary premises. We are very aware that the store and post office has become a very important part of the local community and we are sorry for the people of Dunnington who have been fantastic."

The company is planning to reopen the fire-damaged store as soon as possible, but this will take time as plans for the building must be submitted to local planners.

At the moment villagers can travel to the Costcutter store and post office in Wilberfoss on a free bus service provided by the company. This bus service, which runs up to three times a day, will continue for the time being.

Updated: 11:08 Wednesday, August 06, 2003