This evening about 18.40, I went down to HOP to catch a train to Charing Cross, only to be met with a non-operative Permit to Travel machine and a closed ticket office. Even though the advertised times suggest the ticket office is open until 20.00, it never is. I suspect that it was "unofficially" closed as although the outer shutter was up, the blind was down and the light on. Needless to say knocking on the window had no effect. We all accept that the vandalism that caused the machine to be removed was out of Southern's control but surely ensuring that the ticket office is open when advertised is a basic service even a privatised train company should be capable of providing. I wonder, if they cannot be bothered to do this, why do they hold the franchise? Might it to be something to do with tax payers' money rather than the boring and troublesome task of providing what they are being paid to provide?