A popular post office will close within weeks after losing its lease from the pizza restaurant next door.

Saied Abdulkhani, owner of Otello restaurant, holds the freehold for the main post office at 120 Church Road, Hove, and wants the premises back.

Sub-postmistress Mary Hodgson, who has run the shop for nine years, found she was unable to renew her lease or find alternative, affordable premises in Church Road.

She says she told Post Office Counters a year ago she was likely to lose the outlet but has all but given up on finding somewhere else before the May 28 closing date.

The Argus revealed last month that 53 post offices across Sussex have been lined up for closure since Christmas in a huge cost-cutting scheme.

Mrs Hodgson's post office was not among those targeted, though a smaller office at 20 Church Road closed on January 20.

Customers will now have to call at a surviving sub-post office 500 metres away in Blatchington Road.

Miss Hodgson, 45, who will continue to run a sub-post office in Station Road, Portslade, said: "It's very disappointing. I flagged it up a year ago but it's only in the last couple of weeks that anything seems to be happening.

"They were talking about having a mobile post office which they could have outside Hove Town Hall.

"I've spent the last year checking Church Road for alternative premises but just can't find anywhere else that's large enough and affordable.

"Church Road has become highly desirable, which has pushed the rents too high."

Miss Hodgson estimated she would have to almost double her annual rent of about £20,000 to get another lease.

She said: "We're proud of the service we've been offering but it has become increasingly unprofitable. Over the last two years I've been working for effectively 50p an hour.

"I've been happy to do it but there comes a point when you can't go on working 70 hours a week and feel like you're fighting against the odds all the time."

Jeanette Stavor, 40, of Medina Villas, Hove, said: "We have lost a couple of branches here recently, including the one by the library.

"If it does happen, we would have to use the branch in Blatchington Road, which will not offer all the services we can get at a main post office like this."

Christine Simmons, 47, of Sackville Road, Hove, said: "It would be ridiculous to shut it. There are queues here today and it is not a particularly busy day.

"A place like Hove needs a main post office, particularly because of all the closures that are going on."

Yori Shephard, 74, of The Drive, Hove, said: "I have been coming here every week since I moved to the area 50 years ago.

"It is the main post office in Hove. We lost the sub-post office near the library in Church Road recently so there would be nowhere else to go."

Sharon Gray, 52, works in Hove and travels daily from her home in Sompting. She said: "With all the smaller post offices being closed down it is essential to have a main office in Hove."

Sheila Sheldon, from Small Dole, who runs an accountancy business in Hove, said: "Having a main post office is essential to the business I run with my husband."

Nicholas Whelan, 47, manager of the nearby Albion pub, said: "It's disgraceful. Every time you go there it's very busy. I feel sorry for the little old gents and ladies who'll have the inconvenience of walking a lot farther.

"The nearest post office is very small and will probably get a lot busier."

Paul Simmonds, head of area for the Post Office, said: "We have been working flat-out to find a replacement sub-post-master for this area but to date without any success.

"We are determined to maintain a post office branch in the locality of Church Road and we will be redoubling our recruitment efforts."

He urged anyone interested in taking over as a sub-postmaster in the area to call 0845 601 6260, or send a letter to Agency Recruitment, Human Resources, Freepost NWW 1675A, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 9JB.