A village postmaster who runs one of Britain's oldest shops is reassuring his customers that he plans to carry on as normal, despite proposals which could see his funding cut and wages slashed.

Richard Haining, the subpostmaster at Boxford Stores, near Sudbury, was told by the Post Office that his exceptional payments, which 130 stores across the country currently receive, could be cut from £2,700 to £1,350 and the hours of the store reduced from 50 to 30 from January. 

Earlier this week he questioned the "thinking" of the Post Office and said: "With the current climate, postmasters are loved all around the country and the Post Office reputation is on the floor.

"We should not be raising this issue at the moment. This should not be happening." 

Now he has come forward to reassure his customers that he doesn't plan to go anywhere despite the threat to half his pay and hours. 

Mr Haining said: "May I reassure my customers that the Post Office is going nowhere - I am here to stay despite a threat by Post Office to halve my pay and hours.

“It was a ridiculous suggestion especially with the inquiry taking place this month and the added impact of the programme about Mr Bates vs the Post Office.

“It has been so lovely - everyone has asked what they can we do to help, or if is there a petition.

“There is no need for one at the moment as I received an email same day I sent it to the interim chairman of Post Office saying no action can take place and everything is on hold while the review takes place.

“It would have only taken effect from January and now they have plenty of time to realise that they are hurting their own business and causing so much negative feedback." 

Mr Haining invited customers to visit Boxford at 1pm on Saturday, September 21, for a "fun" celebration of 250 years of a postal service in the village. 

He also urged residents to use the Post Office as much as possible, including for banking, DVLA, postage and returns. 

“I will fight and I know I have not just Boxford but all the surrounding villages on my side. Morally I am in the right, too," he said. 

A review undertaken by the Post Office recently concluded it needs to re-align its resources and changes to how the payments are allocated.

However, no changes will be made until later this autumn while a strategic review into the company is carried out.

Earlier this week a spokesperson for the Post Office said: "The Post Office regularly reviews provision across the network to ensure it is using its limited resources to continue to provide a stable network of Post Offices for communities throughout the UK."