Post Office chiefs abandon branch move plans
Plans to move a village post office to a new location have been abandoned after a public consultation.
Residents in Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, were asked in October if they were in favour of the post office moving from its current venue in Main Road to Connections Ltd in Shrewsbury Road.
The majority of villagers failed to back the scheme and now Post Office bosses have decided to scrap the proposed move. The consultation ran until December 10.
Post Office spokeswoman Suzette Rabout said: "The Post Office has reviewed the proposal taking into account a wide range of factors including the responses received as part of the consultation process and the views expressed at the public meeting.
"After careful consideration we have decided not to proceed with the proposed move of Pontesbury Post Office and the branch will continue to operate from its existing location."
Meanwhile, Church Stretton Post Office is to close to undergo a revamp, before reopening with extended operating hours.
The branch in Sandford Avenue is to shut from 5.30pm on January 29, reopening with its new look from 1pm on February 14.
Its new opening times will be from 6am to 9pm on Monday to Saturday and from 7am to 9pm on Sundays.
The site is currently closed on Sundays and open between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 12.30pm on Saturday.
As part of the changes, the refurbished branch will have two screened serving positions and a post office serving point at the retail counter.
During the closure, the closest alternative post offices are in Wentnor and Dorrington.
Meanwhile, a revamped post office will open on a Telford estate next month. The post office in Brookside will reopen at its new location inside a supermarket on February 22. The branch will be 10 metres from the old site and will offer new services, including selling car tax.
It will move into a new unit being created as part of a £6 million regeneration of the estate and will have one traditional screened position and two serving points at the retail counter.
The current branch will shut at 5.30pm on February 21, and will reopen in its new location at 1pm on February 22. It will operate extended opening hours from 6am to 8pm on Monday to Saturdays and 7am to 2pm on Sundays.
