Campaigners fighting to save East Croydon Post Office have this week pledged to fight on despite the most recent "kick in the teeth" dealt by Consignia.

Consignia area chief, Kevin Ray, announced at a meeting that the office next to East Croydon's rail, tram and bus interchange would shut at 4pm on March 15.

The January 16 meeting was also attended by Post Office affair representative Councillor Gerry Ryan, Croydon Central MP Geraint Davies and Croydon Council's head of economic development Paul Hildrith.

Coun Ryan, who is reeling in disbelief on hearing the news after heading the three month campaign, said that despite spending two hours in the meeting room Consignia representatives had not taken the campaigners' "rescue" proposals seriously.

But he added: "We will get them to listen, we will just have to fight on.

"They are just being very short-sighted it's stupid."

He said the customer-focused watchdog Postwatch agreed the office should not close, and said Mr Hildrith was continuing to draw up alternatives for development of the site.

One of the options would be to provide a combination of Post Office counter services and council services One Stop-style to attract custom.

Ian Ward, regional counters representative for the Communication Workers' Union, said: "It's obviously a big disappointment because they are missing a big commercial opportunity.

"They haven't explained how that office in particular is losing money either."

He added: "People are still signing the petitions.

"The only thing left is to get them to reverse their decision, which is admittedly going to be a very difficult job."

Meanwhile Consignia have told Mr Davies, who presented Parliament with a 4,000 signature petition to save the office last Tuesday, that they might re-install the Post Office at East Croydon in the future.

But this would only be considered once a £50 million cost cutting exercise is over.

He is also asking the industry regulator Postcomm for a referendum on stamp prices, in the belief that the public would pay more to send a letter if it meant they could keep their crown offices.