The four Dundee offices that will be lost to their local communities are the Nethergate, Lochee Road, Ferry Road and Fairmuir, Clepington Road, outlets.

The closures, first mooted in May, could start happening as early as September.

Post Office Ltd’s network development manager for Scotland, Sally Buchanan, said the decisions, which followed a six-week consultation process that ended on July 8, had not been taken lightly.

She added, “We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation. We believe the amended plan announced today offers our customers across North East, Tayside and Fife the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the UK Government’s minimum access criteria and the other factors it has asked us to consider.”

The Post Office said the network of branches that will emerge from the closure programme would support the “national accessibility criteria” introduced by the Government and would ensure 99.9% of Tayside, Fife and north-east Scotland would either see no change to their existing service or remain within one mile of an alternative branch.

But the announcement is bound to come as a massive blow to many communities and will affect the elderly and disabled, amongst the most frequent users of post office services, in particular.

Dundee councillor Ian Borthwick, who worked with Age Concern Scotland for 30 years, said the closures would prove “disastrous” for older people.

“This is a body blow for local communities — I don’t think there is any doubt about that,” he said.

“The distances elderly people will now have to travel to get to their own post office present significant difficulties. There are very real human consequences for them, not least of which is the increased security risk from having to travel further whilst carrying their money.

“Over the years they have been undermining the viability of post offices by removing services from them and now they are trying to encourage people to use their local branch.

“The human consequences are far down the list of concerns for these large organisations. They know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.”

The other Post Office branches set to close are:

FIFE — Dalbeath Crescent, Cowdenbeath; Halbeath, Transy, Torryburn and Hillend, Dunfermline; Denbeath, Levenmouth; Dundonald Park, Cardenden; North Street, Glenrothes; Glencraig, Lochgelly; Keltyhill, Kelty; Pathhead, Kirkcaldy; Lower Largo, Fife; Newton of Falkland and Westport, Cupar; Scoonie Road, Leven.

ANGUS — Dundee Road, Forfar; Kilry and Southmuir, Kirriemuir; and Monikie.

PERTH and NORTH PERTHSHIRE — Bridgend, Cherrybank and Garth Avenue in Perth; Kinrossie.

As part of the raft of closures, it was also announced that four branches in Tele territory will be replaced by what the Post Office calls “outreach solutions”.

The four branches are: Carmyllie; Wellbank; Guardbridge; and Glencarse.

n During the six-week local public consultation, Post Office Ltd received around 4300 responses and attended 90 meetings with customers and their representatives to hear their concerns.

The company said all information provided by customers formed part of the final decision regarding each affected branch.