WHAT'S the point? It is a question on the lips of many Fareham residents after post bosses were accused of ignoring public protest over Post Office closures.

The accusation came after Fareham MP Mark Hoban discovered that not one of the sub-post offices earmarked for closure actually stayed open despite objections from the public during the consultation phase.

The findings come as two post offices in Fareham less than a mile apart from each other at Catisfield and Hill Park were singled out for closure yesterday, along with two more in Gosport.

Mr Hoban wrote to the Post Office after seeing the Wickham Road branch in Fareham close despite a wave of protest from locals, the council and himself.

He said: "I wanted to find out exactly how much objection it would take to reverse a closure decision.

"I asked them exactly how many had been re-thought after the consultation phase, and the answer was none.

"It seems the Post Office are acting as judge and jury, and execution here and begs the question - is this just a paper exercise?"

Post Office watchdog Postwatch has also lodged their concerns with the Post Office over the validity of the consultation phase.

A spokeswoman said: "This is certainly something that has come to our attention and we are asking the Post Office the same questions.

"We are dismayed that, despite what customers are telling Postwatch and the Post Office itself, these closures are going ahead."

But the Post Office has hit back at the criticism claiming the consultation is valid.

Marka Rifat said: "There is no question that the consultation phase is valid and wholly genuine. All the correspondence we receive is considered but there are many factors included in the closure process. As we have said before there just aren't enough customers to sustain all the sub-post office branches there are. For example if we received a petition of 8,000 signatures objecting to a closure it wouldn't make an big impact if only 80 people regularly used the branch."

Letters or faxes about the proposals for the closure of Post Offices at Catisfield Lane, Highlands Road, San Diego Road and Elson Road should be sent to Drew McBride at Post Office Ltd. c/o National Consultation Team, PO Box 641, St Albans, AL1 5XN. Responses should arrive before April 4.