Melksham Post Office will lose its delivery office next year, prompting fears the counter service could follow suit.

This week Royal Mail confirmed the Church Street facility will close in spring 2012 with the service moving to Chippenham, following rumours circulating in the town.

The news has been met with anger from local people concerned at losing a valued service.

Mayor Cllr Rod Eaton said: “I’m absolutely disgusted they haven’t even consulted with anyone about what alternatives could be made.

“We will be protesting in the strongest terms, and we have already written to the Post Office and to Wiltshire Council.”

Around 40 people work at the site at the moment and Royal Mail say there will be no compulsory redundancies following the move.

The postal firm insists the service to the town’s residents will not be affected as it hopes to continue allowing customers to collect undelivered mail in Melksham.

Cllr Vic Oakman, who has added the matter as an urgent item at the Melksham Town Council development meeting on Monday, said: “It’s really bad news for the town. We’ll definitely be fighting this really hard. It’s killing our town, it’s just becoming a dormitory town. The counter service could be on its way next, it’s a possibility.”

Cllr Oakman said he was considering starting a petition against the move.

Royal Mail’s Thames Valley delivery director Gary Burgess said: “We are telling our people about the move now before the detailed planning starts. We want to be able to work with our people on the change and have the opportunity to discuss the implications individually.”

Chris Rye, area representative for the South West Seven Branch of the Communication Workers Union, said: “I’m going down to speak to staff this week. I think what we’re going to do is contact local councillors and the community and put some resistance against it.

“In my opinion, moving the office 10 miles down the road, the quality of services is not likely to be the same.”

Mr Rye added he had concerns as to whether the Chippenham office could handle the extra work, that the move could pose problems for Melksham-based staff and also to the long term viability of the Post Office remaining on the site.

Hampshire Place resident Heather Tucker said: “I think it’s terrible. I’m blind, I have no sight whatsoever and no transport, there’s no way I can get to Chippenham.

“I don’t have the time for buses. It’s going to be really impossible and there are a few disabled people around.”

Graham Ellis, chairman of the Melksham Chamber of Commerce, said: “Their whole business is changing, and provided they continue to provide good services and that there are suitable alternatives, then to some extent it’s their business how they do it.

“My reaction is, now is the time to be looking to have a review of what does Melksham want for its future.”

Martin Kirk, chief operating officer of database and marketing specialists Valldata Services, based in Bowerhill, said: “As a major employer in Melksham, Valldata Services Ltd receives over five million items of mail each year, all delivered through the Melksham delivery office.

“The company is currently trying to gain reassurance from Royal Mail that the Chippenham facility will be able to cope with such an increase in volumes.”

Melksham MP Duncan Hames said: “It is vitally important there should continue to be the service local residents have come to expect of the Royal Mail delivery office in their town.

“Apart from the serious inconvenience to people of having to travel to Trowbridge or Chippenham to collect undelivered mail, the loss of this service would be bad news for the town centre and its economy.”