People from throughout the community condemned the proposal to leave Kirriemuir with just the one post office, by closing the facility currently available to customers in the Southmuir area of town.

And last week's announcement has triggered a campaign to oppose the closure, which will include a public meeting to be held in Webster's High School on Tuesday, June 10 at 7pm.

The post office facility that services the Southmuir area is situated in the SPAR store in Lindsay Street and a spokesperson for Dundee-based C. J. Lang said: "We are extremely disappointed to hear that our Southmuir post office is being earmarked for closure under the Post Office Network Change Programme.

"The ethos of SPAR convenience stores is to offer a valued service to the local community and we recognise that the provision of a post office facility such as Southmuir within SPAR stores very much forms part of the service which our customers depend upon.

"We therefore have a duty to both our store and post office staff at Kirriemuir and their customers to strongly oppose the proposed closure of our Southmuir Post Office and we are actively encouraging the local community to support our campaign when we hold a public consultation at Webster's High School on Tuesday, June 10.

"Both Murdo Fraser, MSP and a representative of Mike Weir MP will attend our meeting in support of our efforts to save Southmuir Post Office and avoid leaving Kirriemuir with only one post office which, we believe, will leave the local community severely disadvantaged.

As a Company, C. J. Lang & Son Limited have expanded their Post Office Network considerably over the last five years, investing £800,000 in the process and forming a harmonious working relationship with the post office organisation, which is recognised by our multiple partner status.

"Having shown such a level of commitment which in many cases has in fact saved several post offices from extinction we feel let down by the attitude of the post office in now proposing to axe one of our post offices."

The news of the plans to axe the Southmuir post office was greeted with anger and dismay at the monthly meeting of Kirriemuir Community Council last midweek.

Members gathered in Fairlie House only hours after the news was leaked of the proposal to close the Kirrie facility together with that in Kilry and reduce the Glamis facility to that of an outreach service of three two-hour sessions a week.

Community council chairman Roland Proctor said it was "a bit shortsighted" to be reducing the town's infrastructure at a time when there were expansion plans in the pipeline in terms of new house-build.

"It is also unfair to ask people who are elderly and infirm to make their way into the centre of town for post office services," he added, explaining that the topography of Kirriemuir was such that there were many steep gradients to negotiate.

"It is the most vulnerable in our society who are going to suffer by these proposed cuts."

Harry Racionzer reminded the meeting that the proposals were nothing new.

"The facility at Tannadice was closed overnight and, when I was in Forfar, they closed the post office in East High Street, despite efforts to keep it open."

Mr Proctor urged the Kirriemuir community to fight the latest closure plans, saying it was something he felt really strongly about.

Kirriemuir Councillor Ian Mackintosh urged concerned residents to voice their opposition to the cuts as quickly as possible.

"With holidays coming up these things can be forgotten about, but if people feel strongly about these things they must say so, otherwise they will be closed and they won't re-open.

"The thought of losing the Southmuir facility is of great concern as there is a large settlement in that part of town and it would put a tremendous strain on the community there, as well as the impact on the main post office in the centre of town."

Councillor Mackintosh said he was dumbstruck when he heard that the Kilry facility was in line for the chop.

"This is an area where people are very much dependant on such services and they now face having to travel to Alyth or Kirriemuir for post office provision."