TRADERS are today wondering what will become of an Ipswich shopping parade once its post office has gone.As previously reported in the Evening Star, Ulster Avenue post office will be closing for good on June 21.

TRADERS are today wondering what will become of an Ipswich shopping parade once its post office has gone.

As previously reported in the Evening Star, Ulster Avenue post office will be closing for good on June 21.

The decision was made by Post Office Ltd even though petitions - with around a thousand signatures in total - had been submitted in protest.

Traders are now worried about the knock-on effect the closure will have on the other Ulster Avenue shops.

Paul Emmett, who owns newsagent Ulster News, is worried business at his shop will drop.

He said: "We are going to get fewer and fewer people coming down here and fewer and fewer people coming to these shops.

"I am very worried as this is my livelihood. People who come here to pay for their papers when they pick up their pensions won't come here anymore.

"We are feeling the pinch at the moment and it will probably get worse."

The Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society, which has a branch in Ulster Avenue, is also worried about the looming loss of the post office.

Mike Faulkner, secretary for the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society, said: "It will be very sad to see an empty property in the parade of shops and we very much hope the landlord will be able to let it again at the earliest opportunity.

"We hope it won't affect our business - for our sake and for all the shops in the area.

"We are therefore concerned that there should not be an empty property as that is never good for trade."

Whitehouse councillor Albert Grant was also saddened by the news.

He said: "It is a tragedy. We fought very hard to save Ulster Avenue post office.

"We presented Post Office Ltd with an 800-strong petition, but it didn't do any good.

"It will cause a lot of hardship for the elderly people who use it and the other shops will be affected.

"A lot of people go to the post office and then go to the other shops. The closure will definitely affect the other shops because less people will be coming down Ulster Avenue."

Post Office Ltd announced on Thursday that Ulster Avenue post office would be closing.

The decision was made after Post Office Ltd was satisfied the sub-postmaster was prepared to go and that there were adequate post office services nearby.

Ulster Avenue post office is the only branch closing out of the 43 in the central Suffolk and north Ipswich constituency.

Adair Road, Surbiton Road and Meredith Road post offices are all less than a mile away from Ulster Avenue post office.

nDo you use Ulster Avenue Post Office? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk