Pressure is mounting on the Post Office to improve its service in Oxford.The pressure comes six months after the Post Office admitted the service it provided in Oxford city centre was inadequate.

St Aldate's is now the only city centre post office following the closure of counters in Park End Street, George Street, Broad Street, St Michael's Street and High Street.

St Aldate's is also the only city office open on a Saturday.

The City Centre Management Working Party has now arranged a special open meeting to demand that operations are expanded.

In April, improvements were made to the branch, including improved queuing space, the opening of two more counters and the recruitment of two new members of staff.

But members of the working party say more city centre branches are needed if services are to improve.

City councillor Jackie Gray, vice-chairman of the working party, said: "There are still queues all the time at St Aldate's.

"A friend of mine went in to get a passport application form and had to wait 20 minutes to be told they didn't have any.

"It is absolutely hopeless and completely inadequate for a city the size of Oxford.

"Post offices are shutting down all over the place and we want to know what is going to be done about it."

Post Office spokesman Floyd Jebson said services at St Aldate's had improved, but high city centre rents and recruitment problems were preventing other branches opening.

"We are still trying to get other post offices off the ground in Oxford," he said. "But it is a problem with the excessive rents in the city. We have also tried placing franchises with retailers.

"Like many firms in Oxford, because there is virtually no unemployment, we have struggled to attract staff.

"We are advertising for counter staff at the moment but getting the right calibre of people is very difficult."

In January, the managing director of Post Office Network, Dave Miller, wrote to Andrew Smith, MP for Oxford East, apologising for the sub-standard city centre service.

Kevin Ray, head of the Post Office Retail Network and Paul O'Brien, network manager, will attend a special open meeting of the working party on July 5 at Oxford Town Hall.

Councillors and the public are invited to voice their concerns about services then.