SIR - In a recent letter to the national consultative manager of the post office, I suggested that if Worcester - a city of nearly 100,000 inhabitants and with a wide catchment area - cannot sustain a main post office in its own premises, then those in senior management should look hard at their level of competence to run a major business.

In her reply, the consultation team leader states that the Post Office cannot look at any one branch in an isolated manner, but only at the network as a whole in order to maintain its financially viability.

I assume from this that no detailed assessment of the profitability of the branch took place before the decisions was made to transfer services to WHSmith.

If the performance of individual branches is not a factor worthy of consideration, this has major implications for the future of the whole post office network. It removes any incentive for staff to give of their best and makes no economic sense.

What with the attitude of senior management towards main post offices and the Government's closure of thousands of smaller offices, one wonders what will remain in a few years of one of our most valued services.

COUNCILLOR MARY DRINKWATER, Worcester.