Key Points

• London Fields Post Office on Broadway Market in Hackney was suddenly shut on Friday 10 July, causing confusion and anger among local residents.
• Residents say they were woken at around 3am by drilling and angle grinders when the landlord repossessed the premises from the managers.
• A petition calling for the branch to reopen has now attracted more than 1,500 signatures.
• The campaign is aimed partly at the landlord, and also at Hackney South & Shoreditch MP Meg Hillier and Post Office Ltd.
• The operators, David and Rajani, are being described by residents as valued local figures who helped make the branch part of the community.
• The Post Office has said the closure was unplanned and due to “operational reasons”, while it works to restore service as soon as possible.
• Hackney Council officers have contacted the Post Office and the operators to offer support in discussions with the landlord.

Hackney (East London Times) July 20, 2026 – London Fields Post Office on Broadway Market was suddenly closed on Friday 10 July, after what residents describe as a late-night repossession of the premises, prompting a community campaign to reopen the branch.

What happened at London Fields Post Office?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service through Hackney Citizen, residents said they were awoken at about 3am by the sound of drilling and angle grinders as the landlord repossessed the building from the managers.

The shock closure has left locals upset because the branch was not only a place for postal services but also a familiar part of the Broadway Market area.

The Post Office said the shutdown was unplanned and linked to “operational reasons”, and added that it was working to “restore service as soon as possible”.

It also told customers that Cambridge Heath Post Office is the nearest alternative branch, about 0.45 miles away, while several other branches are within a mile.

Who is leading the campaign to reopen it?

Residents have launched an e-petition aimed partly at the landlord, with the campaign also calling on Hackney South & Shoreditch MP Meg Hillier and Post Office Ltd to intervene.

According to Hackney Citizen, more than 1,500 people have signed the petition so far, showing the strength of feeling around the closure.

The petition has also been linked to concerns about the impact on the people who ran the branch, David and Rajani, who locals say were highly valued.

The backlash has been described by residents as a response to both the loss of service and the manner in which the closure happened.

What does the landlord say?

Hackney Citizen reported that some residents claimed the landlord, Mr Ismet Serce, intended to shut the building because of legacy rent arrears linked to a refurbishment period during the pandemic.

Mr Serce has rejected those claims as “misleading”, while his solicitors said the closure was indeed due to a dispute over arrears but that the arrears were unrelated to the pandemic refurbishment period.

His solicitors also said that if the former tenant wants to challenge the forfeiture, the proper route is through the court rather than a public campaign based on what they called misleading information.

They added that the tenant’s solicitors had been contacted, but said the tenant had so far been avoiding contact with the landlord or his lawyers in order to resolve the matter.

How have Hackney residents and the council responded?

The closure has triggered anger and concern among residents who rely on the branch for everyday postal and banking-type services.

The petition has become the main public expression of that concern, with signatories urging action from the landlord, the MP and the Post Office.

Hackney Council officers have said they have contacted both the Post Office and the operators to offer support in discussions with the landlord.

That intervention suggests the issue has become more than a neighbourhood dispute and now involves local public services and wider community access.

What has the Post Office said about alternatives?

The Post Office said customers can use its branch finder online to check opening times and services at nearby branches.

It identified Cambridge Heath Post Office as the closest alternative, and named several other nearby branches including Victoria Park, Kingsland Road, Hackney Road, Bethnal Green Road, Well Street, Dalston Lane, Bethnal Green and Hackney.

Even so, the reaction from residents suggests many see the Broadway Market branch as more convenient and more connected to the local community than the alternatives.

The loss of a familiar local branch is often felt most sharply by people who use it regularly and by older residents or those who prefer in-person services.

Background of the development

The London Fields branch formed part of the everyday retail and service life of Broadway Market before its sudden closure on 10 July.

The current dispute appears to centre on the building itself, with the landlord and former managers at odds over possession and alleged arrears.

The case has now moved from a private property dispute into a public campaign because residents are treating the post office as an essential local amenity.

The involvement of Hackney Council and the petition’s growing signature count show that the closure has quickly become a local issue with broader service implications.

How could this affect local residents?

If the branch remains closed, residents in Broadway Market and the surrounding Hackney area may need to travel to nearby branches for services they previously accessed locally.

That could create added inconvenience for people who depend on walk-in postal services, particularly where time, mobility or routine access matters.

If the campaign succeeds, the reopening would restore a familiar local service and reduce pressure on nearby branches such as Cambridge Heath.

For local traders and residents alike, the outcome could shape how easily they access post, parcels and related services in the area over the coming weeks or months.