Post Office Ltd has ignored the pleas of hundreds of residents, politicians and business owners and closed a popular, isolated branch surrounded by care homes, schools and houses.

Regardless of hopes of a reprieve triggered by a six month campaign, the Moatfield Post Office, in Harcourt Road, Bushey, has been ordered to close on February 11, following a consultation and additional review.

Upon hearing the news, previously hopeful villagers voiced disbelief and anger at a decision that appeared to bear no correlation to the results of surveys, public meetings and petitions.

Hertsmere MP James Clappison re-stated his belief that the Moatfield branch should not have been marked for closure in the first place as it was not on Post Office Ltd's original closure list, only being added after branches in Essex and Buckinghamshire were retained.

He said: “The Post Office don't seem to be bothered about local people. The process was flawed and the decision is wrong. They failed to listen to what they were told.”

Councillor Morris Bright, leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, furiously slammed a “ridiculous” decision, adding that Post Office Ltd should be “bloody ashamed of themselves”.

He did, however, urge residents not to give up, saying the council would do all it could to lobby central Government and attempt to force a change in the decision he described as the “nail in the coffin of the local community”.

He said: “At a time when they are pumping about £20 billion into local businesses they have not applied it to the post office which is the lifeblood of the local community. It's all about ticking boxes and meeting figures. “People have waited over two months. They kept people hanging on with false hope only to pull away at the worst possible time.”

By a wall brimming with certificates of long service, awards of excellence and service to charity, devastated postmaster Mukund Brahambatt ignored the major effect his lost business could have on him and his children Avni and Akshay that he is supporting through university and focused on the community he has been a central part of for 16 years.

He said: “I am pleased that the Post Office gave me a platform on which to serve the community. I will be missing that. 16 years is not a short time. From day one people adopted me and accepted me. "They have treated me like family and I feel proud to have been part of such a beautiful and lovely community.”

He spoke of pensioners from the four neighbouring care homes coming to him for advice, helping children from Little Reddings primary school and Meadow Wood special needs school to learn about mail and even being told of emergencies before ambulances or police.

He said: “It's more than just a post office. It's a small village get together. I could write a book with all the stories I have.”

Letters of support to keep the almost constantly busy branch open came from the owner of every shop on the Harcourt Road parade, both schools and Genesis Housing Group, the firm behind hundreds of new homes being built footsteps away from the office.

Looking back on a store-front protest by hundreds of residents and a lively public meeting attended by members of Post Office Ltd and independent watchdog Postwatch, Mr Brahambatt said he was lost for words at the amount of support he had received from residents, councillors and MP Mr Clappison.

He said: “I am so thankful. I don't know how to say it. When I remember the meeting it makes me choke, I can't find the words, all the points they made. All the people there. Some of them can hardly walk to get to the branch and they made it to the meeting.”

He said he will carry on trading as a stationary shop with his wife Suman but added: “Every time I see one of my customers I will feel really bad. I will be missing it very much. It is very sad.”

The issue of the closure was discussed at length at last night's meeting of the Bushey Forum and it has been added to the agenda of a full meeting of Hertsmere Borough Council next Wednesday. Councillors and residents remain defiant that they can fight the closure and have urged residents to continue sending letters to government and Post Office Ltd.