“This is the last post but we will have the last word.”

That was the rallying cry from around 120 determined protesters outside Whitstable’s Crown Post Office this afternoon as the office closed its doors for the last time.

The site, in Gladstone Road, is to be redeveloped and it means the town’s 40,000 residents will be without a central service.

They will now have to travel to Seasalter, Tankerton and Swalecliffe to post their goods and concerned business bosses have called the situation a “disaster”.

The crowd gathered outside the site at 4pm before the office doors were shut for the last time at 5.30pm, with each protester queueing up and buying a 1p stamp to show how crucial the service is to the town.

Organised by campaign group Save Whitstable Crown Post Office, the protest included a bugler playing a rendition of the Last Post.

Campaigners are demanding that the town retains its crown service, that it immediately opens a temporary Post Office service within portacabins on the Gladstone Road car park, and is also calling for a guarantee of services in Whitstable.

Brian Hitcham, president of Whitstable chamber of commerce, called the loss of the office a “disaster” and fears for the impact it will have on the town.

He said: “The Post Office has attempted to deprive Whitstable of a proper post office service and it will be a disaster.

“Lots of businesses use the post office and lots of older people use it.

“They have difficulty travelling out of Whitstable if there is not a central service.

“They (the Post Office) have just dragged their feet – there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be a temporary site in place.”

Mr Hitcham is also concerned that with the rise of internet shopping, businesses in the town will lose out as they won’t be able to post their goods from a central office.

He added: “Lots of businesses use it and for lots of businesses it’s so critical now to have an online as well as bricks and mortar operation.

“As time goes on, more and more businesses will be dependent on having online and being able to send goods to customers.

“I have been in there lots of times and lots of shopkeepers go to post there day’s orders.

“It’s not only an inconvenience – if shopkeepers close their shop at 5pm and have to go to Tankerton or Swalecliffe they will miss the last post.”

“It’s not only an inconvenience – if shopkeepers close their shop at 5pm and have to go to Tankerton or Swalecliffe they will miss the last post..." - Brian Hitcham

He added that getting involved with the Last Post protest was a way of showing how concerned residents are.

Mr Hitcham added: “I think it’s just a question of saying we are not prepared to let them walk all over us and to see how committed we are to retaining a service in the town.

“This is really to say we are not just going to roll over.

“We want a guaranteed continued service.”

A Post Office spokesman said it is committed to maintaining a service.

Kathryn Hollingsworth said: “We are committed to keeping Post Office services in Whitstable we have identified a temporary site for a portakabin in Gladstone Road car park, where it will be run until a long-term franchise partner is found.

“While the terms of the lease at the temporary site are sorted out the branch will close on Wednesday 29 April, and we are trying to keep the break in service to an absolute minimum.

“During this time, customers may wish to use other branches, such as Tankerton Post Office on Tankerton Road and Seasalter Post Office on Joy Lane.”