Peter Aldous MP for Waveney “cut the ribbon” today to officially open Bungay Post Office at its permanent new location - Bungay Shopper, 2 St Mary’s Street, Bungay, NR35 1AX.

New Postmaster, Sathasivam Pakkiyarajah, known as Raj by customers, also welcomed Mayor of Bungay Cllr John Adams, Former Mayor Cllr Bob Prior and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Tony Dawes.

They all had good reasons to celebrate as Bungay now has a permanent, full-time branch again. Bungay Town Council kindly provided space in the foyer of Bungay Town Council to restore Post Office services to the town whilst we worked towards a permanent solution.

Raj decided to refurbish the convenience shop, which he has run for two years, as part of his exciting plans to add Bungay Post Office. There are two Post Office counters.

The main counter, at the back of the shop, opens Monday to Friday: 9am – 5.30pm; Saturday: 9am – 1pm. The open-plan counter alongside the retail counter, offering the majority of Post Office services, is open Monday to Saturday: 7am – 6pm; Sunday: 8am - 1pm.

This new permanent branch is open 71 hours a week for the convenience of customers and the extensive range of Post Office services are now available again.

Peter Aldous MP said:

“It is great news for Bungay that the town now has a full-time permanent Post Office again. I want to thank Raj for adding the Post Office and for modernising his store at the same time. This new-look Post Office and shop look great. I must also thank Bungay Town Council for providing space for an interim Post Office. Everyone pulled together to ensure that Bungay was not without a Post Office.”

Mayor of Bungay, Cllr John Adams, said:

“It was unthinkable that Bungay would not have a Post Office as there are so many vital services. Peter Aldous was a lynchpin to bring everyone together to find a temporary solution at Bungay Town Council. We were glad that we had suitable space and Post Office was able to provide a temporary counter that was very easy to install. We only have on Mobile bank that visits for a short time each week, so a Post Office is vital for people to be able to do their banking on behalf of all the high street banks.”

Demonstrating Post Office’s essential role in banking are the latest figures for Waveney constituency. In March over £1.93m in cash was deposited and £1.16m in cash was withdrawn from Post Offices.

Postmaster Raj Pakkiyarajah, said:

“I am delighted to have been able to add Bungay Post Office to my shop as I know how important it is to residents, businesses and tourists. Customers are really pleased that a permanent Post Office has opened here, the improvements I have made to the shop and the daily opening.”

Wendy Hamilton, Post Office Network Provision Lead, said:

“We sincerely thank Bungay Town Council for providing premises for a temporary Post Office which allowed us to provide vital Post Office services to this town. We worked with Peter Aldous MP and Bungay Town Council to quickly set up this interim service. Now Bungay Post Office is in a permanent new location. Raj’s fully-modernised shop looks fantastic and Post Office services are now available daily.”

A temporary Post Office has been operated from Bungay Town Council since January 2021. Previously Bungay Post Office had been inside the McColl’s store at 38 St Mary Street, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1AX, which closed in December 2020.