A disabled man has been ‘caught out’ after the town Post Office suddenly closed.

Chesham resident Roy Johnson was left “annoyed” after the High Street Post Office closed suddenly on Tuesday (January 2).

The branch apologised to customers for the closure, which was due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Roy, who mostly needs a scooter to get around, relies on his local Post Office for his banking.

The Barclays customer said doing his banking has been “difficult” since the closure of Barclays Chesham branch in June 2021, followed by the Amersham branch closure last March.

"It's rather desperate, because getting to another town to do my banking is very difficult for me," Roy said. 

Bucks Free Press: Roy Johnson from Chesham Roy Johnson from Chesham (Image: Roy Johnson)

He has to visit the Post Office at least a couple of times a month because of cash transactions, which he said is “bloody annoying.”

“If I could do everything by card I would. Then you come up against Barclays. If you have to change something significant on your account you have to do it in person, which is rather Dickensian,” the IT expert said.

Now Roy and his neighbour have to plan a trip to High Wycombe or Hemel when they need to visit Barclays in person.

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“I can’t even use public transport because I cannot take my scooter in. Sometimes I can’t get transport because it has to be pre-booked.”

Normally when he goes out of Chesham for medical appointments, he uses a patient transport service and for anything else a dial transport service, which is “not cheap.”

“It’s not the kind of thing you can do on a drop of a hat,” he said.  

 Roy wanted to highlight the reality for many disabled people without access to a car.

“Ten years ago I used to do everything on foot, but because of medical problems, I’m now reduced to being very limited in mobility. It’s fairly obvious when you think about it, but nobody understands what it’s like being disabled unless you are disabled. For us, it’s a way of life and you’ve got to think very carefully,” Roy explained.

He was “a little bit annoyed” the Post Office had “just shut without explanation” or details of its reopening.

Visiting the Great Hivings Post Office was “pretty much impossible” because of the hills, Roy added.

A spokesperson for Post Office said the short-term temporary closure was due to staff sickness.

They continued: “It is hoped that the branch will re-open on January 5.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the unplanned closure. Alternative branches in the area include Great Hiving and Amersham.”

Great Hivings Post Office on Greenway will close between January 8 and 17 to facilitate its move to the property next door also owned by the postmaster.