TRADERS and councillors are furious at a supermarket giant's plans to close a town's only post office branch.

The One Stop shop in Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, will be converted into a Tesco Express store by the end of the year.

But Tesco says there will be no room in the store for a post office counter.

Traders in Paddock Wood, which has a population of about 7,500, believe the removal of the counter to make space for groceries will be devastating for the community.

But the supermarket chain claims it is going beyond its legal obligations to find a new location for the Post Office.

Richard Barsley, of the family owned Barsley Department Store in Commercial Road, said the closure would have dire consequences.

He said: "It would be quite dramatic if it closed and I don't believe the town could survive or the people cope without it.

"As a business we use it every evening so we will be faced with either a three-mile journey to Matfield or a drive through the rush hour traffic to Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells."

Jay Vara, owner of Homecraft in Commercial Road, said: "It would be a real shock to lose the service because it's a busy town and without it it will be horrendous."

Tunbridge Wells Borough Cllr Elizabeth Thomas (Con), who is also a Paddock Wood Town Councillor, agreed, saying: "Small businesses will find it difficult to do without it and the vulnerable and elderly will be faced with long journeys to get pensions and benefits."

Borough Cllr Peter Waldock (Con) said the council would fight to retain a post office in Paddock Wood.

He said: "It is a key service and the size the town justifies the need."

Tesco bought the One Stop chain of more than 900 stores in January 2003.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We always look to retain the post office on site. In the majority of cases we have been able to do that, but on this occasion it is not possible.

"We are pulling out all the stops to look for a suitable place to relocate it nearby so the community has an improved convenience store while retaining the post office."