Post office ‘singled out’

Frustrated . . . Sukhi Singh outside Dobcross post office

Sukhi delivers band day blast

A frustrated sub postmaster claims his is the only business in a village to be has singled out to have security staff during tonight’s brass band contests.

Sukhi Singh runs the combined post office and general store, which sells beers, wines and spirits, on Woods Lane Dobcross.

But new measures introduced by Oldham Council and police surrounding the band contest event, means has had to employ a security official from 4 to 10pm.

Now he has complained to Councillor John McCann, who with the help of MP Phil Woolas, had the original action plan to have door staff cut to only six pubs in Uppermill and other premises across the community selling alcohol.

Mr Singh said: “This is our 11th Whit Friday in the village and the first time we have ever been required to have door staff.

“There are are five establishments in Dobcross licensed to sell alcohol —three pubs, a band club and my shop.

“I cannot understand why my shop is the only one to need door staff and not the rest. We have never had to provide them before.

“I think the whole situation is pathetic. I’m being discriminated against for being a shop and not a pub.

“How are the other four establishments in a safe area and not my shop? This is a farce and a disgrace to a local event which we have supported for years by donating to the Whit Friday committee collection, advertising and selling their programmes free of charge, and helping clean the village after the contest.”

Councillor McCann said: “I understand and sympathise with Mr Singh’s concerns but he agreed to the security staff proposal before the event.

“However, I have invited him to attend a meeting after the event to discuss the problems.”

Mr Singh replied: “We felt we had no alternative but to agree to the doorman proposal otherwise we would have had to close at 4pm when the post office itself would have been open until 5.30.”