Drew Cochrane writes about Post Office Horizon scandal

In fact, in light of the explosive uproar trigged by the now famous true drama series, Mr Bates vs The Post Office, local postmistress Susan Craddock said: "It could easily have been us."

If good fortune and timing had not been in favour of Susan and husband David setting up the Largs PO in Gallowgate Square, they could have been victims of the horrendous Horizon scandal that saw hundreds of their colleagues made bankrupt, or jailed and devastated.

On local Facebook recently, Susan announced to her customers: "Thank you. Mr Bates vs The Post Office has brought a lot of attention to the plight of many sub-postmasters. We would like to say thank you so much to our customers for all your support. It is really appreciated.

"As an independent small business we hope you recognise that the trusted brand Post Office in the heart of the community is NOT Post Office Limited."

David and Susan Craddock, who run the post office in Largs (Image: David and Susan Craddock)

The Craddocks, whose post had more than 400 'likes' , went on to say: "Every post office was affected in some way. We all paid shortages back before we knew what had happened. Now we question everything."

The hard-working local couple even set up a small cafe, T In The Square, to keep the Largs post office viable, an absolutely vital service in the district.

Susan added poignantly: "We didn't have the huge issues that some people had, but it could easily have been us as well."

As she pointed out, the TV drama and subsequent public inquiry has brought a lot of things, and monumental injustice, to the forefront, and they, like many thousands around the country, need to keep up the pressure to expose the scandal and those behind it.

They concluded: "We do suffer from extremely poor pay, and it's a struggle."

Facebook followers were quick to praise the Craddocks. Karen Penders stated: "You and your staff offer an amazing service to our community. You are so hard working and there's always service with a smile."

A typical comment came from Rachel Linn-Moran who said: "All the best for the continuing work of the fab team at Largs PO."

Getting right to the point was Jennifer Hamilton with: "The higher ups in the Post Office should be thoroughly ashamed of the actions they took against hard working, honest sub-postmasters. I hope the programme encourages people to use their local post office counter."

What has already been witnessed at the inquiry into the scandal is that they all, including the thuggish-looking investigators, who pressed on against the illogical evidence of hundreds of "the little people" all being criminals, insisted it was always someone higher up who wanted them prosecuted.

Former Post Office chief executive Paula Vennells has apologised and handed back her CBE (Image: PA)

So, who will the big bosses blame when they appear soon? 'Saint' Paula Vennells, an ordained Church of England priest, who was the Post Office's chief executive when much of the skulduggery was being conducted with her approval, has said she is "truly sorry".  Very Christian, but what penance will she pay for the destruction of hundreds of lives?

Another senior executive, Angela van der Bogerd, who seemed to enthusiastically pursue prosecutions, was exposed in court when judge Justice Fraser accused her of not giving frank evidence and seeking to "obfuscate matters and mislead me".  She's disappeared, for the moment.

As for Gareth Jenkins, former chief IT architect for Fujitsu's Horizon, he wants immunity from incriminating himself before his appearance. What has he to hide, other than denying Horizon was to blame for destroying lives?

I think heads should roll if malicious intent can be found.

Incidentally, if there are any glitches in this article, put it down to my Fujitsu software.

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Thought for the Week: The art of diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way they ask for directions.

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I was having a refreshment with Largs octogenarian Harry McEachan a few days before the headline appeared in this paper: 'Green campaigner says it might be time to build a car park'.

Harry, a stalwart and great character of the Viking Festival in his alter ego of Hagarus The Handsome, was the leader of the legendary 10 -day people's camp on the foreshore, opposite Nardini's, in 1991. People power forced the council to drop a plan to extend the shore car park.

Decades often change folk's attitudes, and, lo and behold, Harry, now aged 89, is lending his support to the proposal that a new shore car park could be created near Vanduara, where the sea wall is being built.

He thinks that Largs Community Council is correct in targeting the area on the north prom for much needed extra parking in our tourist town.

He told the News: "The council should assess it and see how many cars could park there and see whether it is worthwhile." He also quipped: "It would be one less area for the council to cut the grass."

I'm also behind the idea because, when I was vice-chair of the former Largs Development Group, we proposed the grass area between the Brisbane Centre and the war memorial as a potential car park.

Mind you, what will happen if the residents of Vanduara set up their own camp?