At the recent meeting in the Town Mission Centre, organised by the Royal Burgh of Arbroath Community Council, he revealed that the main Post Office in the Abbeygate shopping centre was being forced to move next March, as the parent franchise was not being renewed by the Co-op.

He has now called on the Post Office to withdraw their plans on the three post offices - Cairnie Street, Inverkeilor and Carmyllie - in light of this news.

Mr Weir said: "The public meeting was extremely well attended and showed the strength of feeling by residents to the Post Office's plans in wishing to close their local post office.

"The public consultation period is totally inadequate, but a major change right in the middle of it must demand a rethink if the public process means anything at all. If the Post Office do not do so then we must conclude that it is involved in nothing more than a PR exercise to rubber-stamp decisions already made, whatever the public think."

He went on: "It seems to me that it is simply inconceivable that they can continue with a plan that had at its heart the Abbeygate Post Office when it is now clear that the Post Office will have to move from that location and they are unable to give any details of what alternative will be on offer.

"The size and location of the alternative premises will have a direct bearing on the whole plan for the Arbroath area."