To celebrate the launch of the new High Street Kessingland Post Office, Peter Aldous MP for Waveney ‘cut the ribbon’ at an opening ceremony at 15:30am today (Friday 16 May).

 

As part of Post Office plans to modernise the network and extend opening hours High Street Kessingland Post Office relocated a short distance along the road to Kessingland Supermarket, 62-64 High Street, Kessingland, Lowestoft, NR33 7QQ.

 

Post Office® services are available from an open-plan counter and a modern screened position at the rear of shop, plus an open-plan Post Office serving point at the retail counter, where Post Office services are available during shop opening hours. 

 

Peter Aldous MP said: "I welcomed the news that High Street Kessingland Post Office was to move into a bright modern open-plan branch and I am delighted to be here today to congratulate new operators, Ray and Vijay Patel on their hard work and to formally declare the new High Street Kessingland Post Office open. The Post Office is vital to the community around High Street Kessingland and I'm sure the new improved office, and the amazing longer opening hours, will be warmly welcomed by all of my constituents."

 

Brothers Ray and Vijay Patel have taken on the staff from the previous location and the former Subpostmistress has also been helping out.

 

Ray and Vijay Patel said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to open the new branch. We have attracted lots of new customers from the previous Post Office. People really like that we have kept the previous staff. The branch has also gained new Post Office customers as people like the much longer, more convenient, opening hours from breakfast time until late and weekend too, giving more choice when to visit. The open-plan counters are very popular as it is now far easier for staff and customers to talk.”

 

Gary Herbert, Post Office Field Senior Stakeholder Manager, said: “We understand how important having a Post Office is to residents in Kessingland and I am confident this new modern Post Office will meet the needs of the local community and secure services for the future. This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and marks a commitment to no more branch closure programmes.”

 

Under the current Parliament the Government has committed £1.34bn for the Post Office network to make sure there is no programme of Post Office closures and to update branches; in November the Government announced a further £640m investment in the Post Office network, from 2015 to 2018.

 

Nationwide the investment programme will see up to 8,000 branches modernised with additional investment in over 3,000 community and outreach branches.

 

The Post Office, now independent of Royal Mail, is the largest retail network in the UK, with over 11,500 branches. It is also one of the fastest growing financial services companies and is developing its online and telephony services.