One third of the country’s 250 post offices, all of which are scheduled for closure by 2012, have now been shut down, a spokeman for the post office company said on Tuesday.

Financial services group ING and TNT Post, which are joint owners of the post offices, announced the closure programme at the beginning of March.
The aim is to open affiliates in supermarkets, book shops and newsagents. So far, 150 post office agencies where people can buy stamps and post parcels have been opened, the spokesman said. Cash withdrawals and other money transactions are being transferred to ING bank branches.