VILLAGERS fighting to retain a post office in Exbourne will open a temporary one in the village hall on Monday whilst they try to raise the cash for something more permanent.

The satellite post office will open two mornings a week, from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Mondays and Fridays offering all the normal services. A coffee shop will be set up for villagers to meet up and chat.

Behind this move to keep the village thriving is the Exbourne Community Initiative which has joined forces with Okehampton Post Office to provide this first outreach facility.

The community group was born out of public concern over the closure of the village post office and stores last December and its ultimate aim is to purchase a site where it can be retained permanently.

But the group is in a race against time to raise the £92,000 needed to buy the old post office building, which is currently on the market and has planning permission to be converted for residential use.

Group secretary Sally Hordern, who is also a parish councillor, said it had been hard work to get a temporary post office in place but dogged determination paid off.

'We have been helped tremendously by the staff at Okehampton Post Office who will be running the service,' she said. 'At least we can keep the post office going for the moment whilst we put a plan into action for the long-term.'

Exbourne Community Initiative sent out questionnaires to 180 residents in Exbourne and nearby Jacobstowe to find out what people wanted to see in the future and they received 140 replies.

Mrs Hordern said 92 per cent wanted to keep the shop and post office going but with an emphasis on locally produced goods.

'We have a terrific dairy on the doorstep and I think it is important that we have somewhere that stocks essentials like milk, bread, toothpaste and soap,' said Mrs Hordern. 'Years ago Exbourne village shop was thriving and I think with a bit of oomph it could be again.'

The group has been promised funds to cover the cost of fixtures and fittings if it puts together a business plan and it is in the process of applying to 'every fund available' to get the capital costs to buy the premises.

'We really need £150,000 to do the whole project but purchasing the building is our goal at the moment.'

Relief sub postmaster at Okehampton Post Office Paul Ankcorn, who is also on the Exbourne Community Initiative, said this was the first time Okehampton had run a satellite service.

'It has been a struggle but unfortunately the post office does not move very quickly these days,' he said. 'I am pleased, at last we have managed to get this temporary post office up and running and we can keep it going for the community.'

Over the weekend of March 22 and 23, local people will be asked to give their views on a vision for Exbourne's future at an exhibition being staged by the Hatherleigh area Market and Coastal Town Initiative in the village hall.