Canterbury and Whitstable parliamentary candidate Julian Brazier has called for action after it was revealed the town's post office will be closed by the end of April.

Office bosses will leave the Gladstone Road site by Wednesday, April 29 meaning residents will have to use services in Tankerton, Seasalter and Swalecliffe as alternatives.

Conservative parliamentary candidate Mr Brazier has now written to bosses stressing the urgency in finding the town's office a temporary home.

In a letter to the post office, he wrote: "I am well aware of the considerable efforts you are making to find a new site, now that your landlord in Gladstone Road is redeveloping.

"Could I stress the urgency of getting the Portacabin alternative in place before the Gladstone Road site closes?

"You will have seen the letter from Whitstable Chamber of Trade and be aware, from our earlier correspondence, of the depths of local concern about this matter.

"If there is anything I can do to help expedite the matter, please let me know."

The Whitstable chamber of commerce has also written to post office bosses.

Its president Brian Hitcham is demanding that the planned closure is halted.

Post office spokeswoman Suzette Rabout said it is committed to keeping the service in the town.

"We are committed to keeping Post Office services in Whitstable..." - Suzette Rabout

She said: “Post Office has been served notice to leave the premises currently housing Whitstable Post Office so the landlord can redevelop the site over an extended period.

"We are required to hand back the premises to the landlord on 5 May and to allow us to provide vacant possession, regrettably we need to close the branch at 17:30 on 29 April.

“We are committed to keeping Post Office services in Whitstable and we are currently looking for an alternative location for the branch, where it would be run until a long-term franchise partner is found.

“We have engaged with Kent County Council about a potential site for the branch and we are currently speaking with Canterbury City Council about the provision of one of our portacabin units as a temporary measure while we work to find a long-term solution for the area.

"Discussions are on-going and we hope to be in a position to finalise a suitable temporary location soon.”

Campaign group Save Whitstable Crown Post Office has been fighting for a crown post office service in the town for the last two years.

Campaign leader Julie Wassmer said: “I’ve done some research and Swalecliffe is 2.2 miles away, Seasalter is 1.4 and Tankerton is 1.1.

“We now have 40,000 people who live here and residents, visitors and businesses are – from the 29th April – expected to use these places outside the town.

“We are a town of thousands of people who rely on that post office.”

The alternative post office sites will be in Tankerton Road, Joy Lane and Herne Bay Road.