FIVE post offices in North Yorkshire could close in August as part of a national programme of urban closures.

Post Office Ltd announced yesterday that one post office in Ripon and four in Harrogate are under threat.

The Post Office is restructuring its national network of more than 9,000 urban post offices, saying that in many towns and cities there are too many offices competing for too little business.

The branches earmarked for closure are Lead Lane Post Office in Ripon and in Harrogate, Harlow Hill Post Office on Otley Road, Roche Avenue Post Office, St Winifreds Post Office in St Winifreds Avenue and Woodlands Post Office in Hookstone Chase.

David Mellows-Facer, head of area for the Post Office, said: "Proposals to close post offices are not made without considerable research and discussion so we are anxious that customers and all relevant organisations understand why we consider it necessary to reduce the size of our network.

"The harsh reality is that many urban offices are struggling to survive because there are too many branches for the amount of business."

The Post Office will now go through a consultation process with local people before a final decision on closure is made.

But a spokeswoman for postal services watchdog, Postwatch said they would be keeping a close eye on the process. "We want to make sure that the post offices are retained in areas where they are well used by customers and where a closure would cause difficulties for the elderly and disadvantaged people," she said.