Steve Brine cut the ribbon at the modernised Oliver's Battery Post Office on Monday 16th May, surrounded by local residents and customers as well as children from Oliver's Battery Primary School.
The branch was closed for 10 days for modernisation, and Post Office services are now provided from an open-plan counter located alongside the retail till, throughout the store's opening hours, Monday to Friday: 7am to 9pm; Saturday: 8am to 8pm; Sunday: 8am to 7pm.
This is an extra 44 hours and 30 minutes a week including all-day Sunday, significantly earlier opening and much later closing, making it far more convenient for users with more choice of times to visit.
Steve Brine said: "The longer opening hours will really benefit the whole community with the impressive choice of when Post Office customers can visit, and the Post Office counter fits in really well into the layout of the store."
Mrs Selvi Nmalarajan, Postmaster, said: "Post Office customers really like the open-plan till – it makes it far easier for myself and my long-serving assistant Tina Foulds to have conversations with customers. It makes the branch friendlier and more welcoming.
"The branch is now open the same hours as the shop, so people can pop into buy their newspapers first thing in the morning and do their Post Office transactions or in the evening they can come in to post a parcel or to pick up a collection item."
Oliver's Battery is a "local plus" style branch with enhanced local services including manual banking (non-barcoded transactions), Transcash, and Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide International parcels. Payment by cheque are still accepted.
David Gold, Area 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. This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and will secure services for the future."
The new Oliver's Battery Post Office will be delighted to welcome customers to the newly refurbished branch. 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.
