How ironic you should carry a picture of Eastbourne's Grand Hotel to mark its achievement in the Harden Hotel Guide 2004 alongside a story about Post Office bosses being accused of "corporate vandalism", a term with which the population of Eastbourne would wholeheartedly agree.

The irony is one of the post offices threatened with closure is actually contained at the rear of the Grand Hotel, along with other small businesses whose partial livelihood depends in no small way on Post Office users.

The Post Office caters for the many adjacent hotel visitors and pensioners.

Eastbourne has already recently lost one sub-post office, with another four under direct attack, including the head Post Office.

If Post Office Counters can't compete, it is high time they sold out to those who have proven expertise.

-EA Clark, Eastbourne