RESIDENTS in Bridestowe will be celebrating the opening of their post office when the service re-opens later this month.

The shop will stay open as usual while the works go ahead and the new set up will be called Post Office Essentials, housed within Riverside Stores.

The post office, which closes today (Thursday), will offer an open plan counter, alongside retail transactions.

The new service is part of Post Office Ltd's commitment to develop in ways which benefit customers and to ensure the wider network is sustainable, by finding innovative ways to run its outlets.

Customers using the service will still be able to access selected mail services, electronic bill payments, electronic banking, benefit and card account withdrawals, telephone and mobile phone top ups.

Foreign currency can also be ordered in advance.

A spokesman for Post Office Ltd said: 'We are delighted to be able to launch this service with our partner at Bridestowe.

'This is part of a trial and provides many of the popular post office services that customers want on a regular basis.

'The success of this trial is, to a great extent, reliant on customers using the branch on a regular basis and we will be reviewing the situation, and any feedback received, over the coming months.

'I know that the local community will join me in welcoming this good news and I would encourage local residents to support this new joint venture.'

The new post office will open on Wednesday, August 12. The service will operate on the normal post office hours, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 9am to 5.30pm, closing for an hour between 1pm and 2pm. Wednesdays from 9am to 1pm and Saturdays 9am to 12.30pm.