THE Post Office has agreed to relocate Camelford Post Office to Stephens Home Hardware, 12 Market Place, Camelford. The date of the move will be announced at a future date.

It will be a modern open-plan ‘local’ style branch, with Post Office services delivered from two open-plan tills alongside the hardware store’s retail counter.

Services will be provided throughout the shop’s opening hours. From Monday to Friday, it will be open from 8.30am until 5pm, and on Saturday, the branch will be open from 9am until 5pm.

The branch will be open an extra nine hours and 30 minutes a week, including Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. This will make it more convenient for customers to visit.

The move from 13 to 15 Market Place is with the current postmaster’s agreement, and is part of a major modernisation programme across the Post Office network, designed to make it easier for customers to do business, through longer opening hours and modern open plan environments.

Suzanne Richardson, regional network manager, said: “We are making it easier for customers to get their cash, send and collect their mail and do their banking because we know how important these services are to local residents. We are confident that this vibrant new-style Post Office at the heart of the local community will meet customer needs. The modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and will secure services for the future.”

During public consultation, 25 individual responses were received from customers. Some feedback welcomed the plan as it would maintain a Post Office service locally. Other comments related to the size of the premises, availability of space inside and privacy.

Internally, the new premises will be fully refurbished to provide more space, improved layout and easier manoeuvrability for customers. The new branch will be built in line with Post Office specifications, making sure there is sufficient space for the new style local Post Office to operate alongside the retail offer.

The new layout is a more modern way of offering Post Office services, but it in no way compromises the professional service standards that customers rightly expect in all of their branches. Staff are fully aware of the need to respect customer privacy and confidentiality. Customers will also be asked to stand back from the counter when awaiting service.

Local residents and small business customers will be able to access a wide range of Post Office and mails services, including special delivery, local collect, home shopping returns, online banking cash deposits and withdrawals.

Other services include Post Office card account withdrawals, sending funds abroad using moneygram, and customers can also pay bills, pre-order travel money, apply for travel insurance and top up mobile phones. This will be a new-style local plus branch with an enhanced range of products including manual banking, transcash, and Royal Mail and Parcelforce International Services.